Bay Scallops Provençal

By Florence Fabricant

Updated February 11, 2016

  • Sabra Krock for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(404)
Comments
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Sometimes the best pairings are accidental. One weekend when I had some work to do, I asked my husband to go to the local fish market and pick up one of their marvelous chowders that could be reheated for lunch. He came home instead with a pound of local bay scallops, the first of the season (and abundant this year). Now I had to cook. Fortunately, I had other suitable ingredients on hand and in less than 30 minutes, lunch was on the table. Not one to let a tasting opportunity go to waste, I figured the dish I almost literally threw together would be compatible with a bottle of simple white Burgundy. It had just enough richness in the glass.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 3 main-course servings

  • 1 pound fresh bay scallops

  • 3 tablespoons flour

  • Salt and pepper

  • pepper

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 large shallot, minced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped

  • Juice of ½ lemon

  • ⅓ cup dry white wine

  • 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

  • Toasted baguette slices, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

23 grams carbs; 52 milligrams cholesterol; 333 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 681 milligrams sodium; 21 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season the flour with some salt and pepper and toss the scallops in it. Heat the oil in a 10- to 12-inch skillet. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté over medium heat a few minutes, until soft. Remove, draining well to keep most of the oil in the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high. Shake excess flour from the scallops and sauté them, tossing, until lightly browned.

  2. Step 2

    Return the shallot and garlic to the skillet. Add the tomatoes and sauté until they soften, a minute or so. Add the lemon juice and wine and stir just until the ingredients are well combined. With a slotted spoon, transfer the scallops to a warm serving dish. (It’s fine if some vegetables hitch a ride with the scallops.)

  3. Step 3

    Increase the heat to high and reduce the liquid until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. Lower heat, swirl in the butter and check the seasoning. Fold in the parsley. Pour the sauce over the scallops and arrange the toast around the platter.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
404 user ratings
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Comments

David Look

Florence says the flour is to help the scallops brown without overcooking. It also adds substance to the sauce. A lighter coating for the scallops would be corn or potato starch. If you make the dish without the flour be sure you dry the scallops very well. You might use some butter instead of just oil in the pan to encourage browning.

charles rotmil

love this. but it can be done without flour too. /scallops flavor is lost somewhat when fried like that.

Jane

thought it was great, we are land locked so I got the frozen scallops at Trader Joe's. Doubled the sauce and served it over pasta, wonderful

HG6649

Liked this. Cooked as recipe stipulated. But agree with others; it lacks something. Will try again.

Jennifer B

A case of criminally gilding the lily. The delicate flavor of the bay scallops was lost. Thankfully I still have a half pound left to prepare as the higher powers intended: butter, shallot, white wine, a sprig of parsley and absolutely nothing more.

Gary

Made this for the first time this evening. Followed the recipe exactly except that I used a springform pan with a light application of cooking spray. No parchment paper; no inverting. Also, no reason I could think of for letting it cool completely before digging in. I will definitely make this again; and again…

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