Seared Scallops Recipe

Rinse off scallops with cold water and pat each one dry with a paper towel. If there are any scallops that have the side muscle attached, simply remove it. (Side muscle cooks tough and it’s unpleasant to eat.)

Preheat a cooking pan first over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and let it heat through until you start to see a little smoke (it should take less than a minute).

Season scallops with salt and pepper on both sides.

Place scallops into the skillet but leave some room in between each one. To ensure a nice sear, don't overcrowd them.

Do not move or touch them until ready to flip. Add butter slices around the skillet and let it melt as scallops cook.

Sear scallops for about 2 minutes (a few seconds more or a few seconds less depending on the size).

Flip each scallop in the same order as you put them in. Add minced garlic all around the pan too and let it cook. You can gently shake the pan to spread the garlic.

Let scallops sear for another 1.5-2 minutes and take them out of the pan.

Spoon some of the butter from the pan over the scallops.

Optional: a few seconds before scallops are ready, add parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice to the pan and gently shake the pan to mix.