Healthy: Bay Scallops Sauteed with Rosemay and Lemon

Bay scallops are the cheap relative of sea scallops that appear on the menus of nice restaurants everywhere. Bay scallops are tasty but do not stand in comparison to sea scallops in getting that buttery texture. In fact, they are very easy to overcook into a rubbery disaster because they are so small. However, they are cheaper than sea scallops and make for some tasty dishes themselves. When prepared well, they can produce a nice looking and tasting dish without a lot of work or cost.

The worst part about buying bay scallops is, at least for me, they only come frozen. When you buy them frozen they seem to come with an enormous amount of hidden liquid. I don't know where it comes from but it's like the second they hit the pan there's a lake of white liquid in the bottom of the pan that means you're going to poach them instead of sauteing them. So the recipe below assumes you have frozen bay scallops. If you are able to buy them fresh, skip step 1.

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds bay scallops
1/3 cup of olive oil (1/4 cup if you have unfrozen scallops)
2 medium garlic cloves (or 2 tsp minced garlic)
1.5 tsp fresh rosemary leaves (or 0.75 tsp dried)
Salt and pepper to taste
1.5 tbsp lemon juice.
2 tsp butter or margarine (optional)

Equipment:
One medium skillet
One large skillet
One spatula/big spoon/slotted spoon -- whatever you have handy
Stovetop

Step 1: Thaw your scallops. It's best to thaw them in the fridge and once they are soft, try to drain as much liquid as you can. Pat them dry but do not crush them. You may need to start the thawing process early in the day. Due to all the hidden water, they tend to take longer to thaw than fish.

Step 2: Add 1/4 cup of olive oil to a large skillet. Add the remaining oil to the medium skillet. Put both on the stove over medium heat. Once the olive oil is hot (rolls around the pan easily), add the garlic to the large skillet. Cook for one minute.

Step 3: Add the scallops to the medium skillet. Cook for two minutes. You should see a tidal wave of white-purple liquid flow out of the scallops. While it isn't bad to consume, it won't give you a good saute.

Step 4: After two minutes, remove the scallops from the medium skillet, leaving behind the liquid and turn off the heat to that skillet.

Step 5: Add the scallops, salt, pepper and rosemary to the large skillet. Turn the heat to high and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the scallops are opaque but not yet rubbery. They may leak out more liquid. It's ok, just let it go.

If you are using fresh scallops, ignore the medium skillet instructions and add the scallops to the large skillet with the seasoning. Turn the heat to high and cook 2-3 minutes until opaque.

Step 6: Remove the scallops and set aside in a bowl.

Step 7: Add the lemon juice to the skillet and let the liquid cook down to a syrupy consistency.

Step 8: Return scallops to skillet and mix to coat scallops with the sauce. Once covered and the scallops are hot again, remove from heat and serve. The scallops should only be back on the heat for 30-60 seconds at most. You do not want to continue cooking them because they get rubbery fast.

Optional: if you want to make the recipe slightly less healthy but more savory, when you add the scallops back in the skillet, add two teaspoons of butter or margarine (your preference). The butter will give the sauce a more creamy and rich flavor. However, you can leave it out and still enjoy the dish. I usually add the butter.

That's it. A simple recipe. Good flavor, easy and fast to cook. You can play around with adding other herbs with the rosemary, such as sage, parsley, oregano, or thyme. A very dry white wine could be used to add a little flavor as well. I often pair the dish with saffron rice. Risotto would be a nice companion. Works well with lots of vegetables as a side. Corn on the cob, green beans and asparagus each pair well.