Paired with the pea tendrils, chanterelles, and fingerling potatoes, this main makes the most of spring's best ingredients.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (yellow part only) from lemon in long strips. Squeeze 1 1/2 tablespoons juice from lemon. Combine wine, shallots, garlic, and lemon peel in heavy small saucepan. Boil until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Add cream and turmeric and boil until mixture thickens and is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 13 minutes. Pour mixture through fine strainer; discard solids in strainer. Return sauce to pan. Whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add scallops to skillet and sear until browned and almost opaque in center, adding remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil to skillet as needed, about 1 minute per side. Transfer scallops to rimmed baking sheet. DO AHEAD Can be made 20 minutes ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Step 3
Bake scallops until just opaque in center and heated through, about 3 minutes. Divide sauce among plates. Arrange scallops atop sauce and serve.
What to drink:
Step 4
Go ahead, splurge. The William Fevre "Fourchaume" 2004 Chablis Premier Cru ($28, France) — creamy and rich, with lemon and grapefruit flavors — would be divine.
