Recipes > Seared Scallops with Truffle Beurre Blanc
Pan-seared scallops served with a truffle beurre blanc make up this elegant and sexy appetizer.
Dawn Thomas
- Serves: 4
- Active Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Views: 121,479
- Success Rating: 98% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Making the Beurre Blanc
- 1 tbsp shallots
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 8 tbsp cold, unsalted butter
- kosher salt (to taste)
- white pepper (to taste)
- lemon juice (optional)
Method
To prepare the beurre blanc, first mince the shallots. Cut the cold butter into tablespoon-size pieces. Gather the wine and set aside.
Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and the wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce the liquid by about two-thirds until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
Turn the heat to the lowest setting and whisk in the cold butter one piece at a time to slowly form the emulsion.
Once all of the butter has been incorporated, season with salt and pepper. You may want to add a few drops of lemon juice to brighten the flavor of the sauce.
Monitor the sauce closely if you have other tasks to do before serving. Keep the sauce warm to the touch and whisk often to prevent it from splitting. You may need to turn the heat off and on to keep it at the correct temperature. The heat does not always need to be on, as the residual heat from the pan will keep it warm.
Step 2: Prepping and Cooking the Scallops
- 12 medium scallops
- 2 tsp grapeseed oil
Method
To cook the scallops, preheat a large, stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat.
Pat the scallops dry. Once the pan is hot, add the oil and sear the scallops on each side for about 1 to 2 minutes or until done. Set aside.
Step 3: Finishing the Sauce & Serving
- few drops of truffle oil
- 1 tbsp chives
Method
To finish the sauce, finely chop the chives. Whisk in a few drops of truffle oil to taste. Be careful as it can be quite overpowering – a little goes a long way. Finely slice the chives and whisk into the sauce.
Divide the sauce between four small plates so it forms a pool. Place three scallops onto each plate. Garnish with a couple of long chives and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- by Dawn Thomas
- •
- March 6, 2009
This sauce pairs well with potatoes, eggs, and any type of white fish or seafood.
25 Comments
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I made this dish yesterday , the first beurre blanc I made split I still don't know why ? but I made it again and everything was fine . This is the first time I eat beurre blanc and even ironically Scallops !!! that's right I never tried them before ;D . The only thing that's strange is that I didn't notice any truffle flavor in the sauce although I used about 1 Tbsp of the truffle oil ?? the truffle oil I used is actually olive oil flavored with truffle but maybe it's not good brand cuz it was somehow cheap ( about 20$ !!!??? ) -
So glad you liked it. As for the truffle oil - straight truffle oil is very strong tasting, you generally would only need a drop or two to add lots of truffle flavor. A small bottle (approx. 2 ounce jar) usually costs between $15 to $20. The good news is that it will last for quite a long time in the refrigerator. The olive oil infused with truffle oil that you had would likely add only a hint of flavor and you are correct in that you would have to use much more. I would suggest saving the truffle-infused olive oil for other things, as this sauce really doesn't need the extra calories, seeing that it is a butter sauce and all. Next time you go shopping perhaps treat yourself to a bottle of truffle oil. It really is great on and with so many things; from garnishing soups to making sauces. Again glad you liked the recipe - happy truffle hunting! -
I saw in the market black truffle cans for about 60$ which I think is somehow cheap for truffles ! do you happen to know anything about these ? are they similar to the fresh stuff ?
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I've used truffle oil in two forms. White/Blanco (made from white truffles) and Black/Nero (made from black truffles). Although I find the flavour profile is somewhat similar between the two, the Nero is more intense and stands up better to heat. The Blanco is best added at the finishing point as continued heating will compromise the delicate flavours. If you are unfamiliar with this flavour, and Dawn's warning is correct, go easy at first. It also may be an idea to try the Blanco out first as it’s more delicate. To answer Khaled's question about the canned or jarred truffle, I've had these shaved over dishes in restaurants several times and as I’m sure they're not a good as fresh (what is??), they were quite enjoyable. Actually, now that I think about it, it would be a nice option to shave a bit of Nero on top of the Scallops in this dish and forego the oil. -
Would love to watch a video for this as I know making the beurre blanc could be a bit tricky for the chef in training! -
We couldn't agree more Quang, which is why we did an entire video lesson on "How to Make Beurre Blanc". Cheers!
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I finally found some truffle oil but there are two choices : Black and white. Which one would you suggest? Thanks By the way this is my first post and I just want to say how much I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE ROUXBE! I only wish I had found you guys sooner! :D -
Rouxbe Staff
We have used both. Really, it's really up to you and what you like because each has a bit of a different flavor. Many stores that sell truffle oil will let you sample each kind to see which you prefer before buying. Rest assured, either will work - just make sure to use it sparingly. A little goes a very long way. Welcome to Rouxbe, btw! :) -
Oh thanks for the info and I am VERY happy to be here :O Can't wait to try this recipe!
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I can't seem to get the VIDEO for this recipe. I clicked on the link but it takes me to the printed recipe. -
Rouxbe's recipes are broken down into 3 categories: Video Recipes: contain a video plus a text recipe Certified Recipes: contain text only Test Kitchen Recipes: contain text recipes that are submitted by our users/students. This recipe happens to fall under the Certified Recipe category, which means it does not not have a video. The reason there are not videos for every recipe is that some are supporting recipes for lessons. In this case, there is an entire lesson on How to Make a Butter Sauce as well as Searing, etc. Hope this clears things up. Cheers!
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i tried this recipe for the 1st time and liked it very much ,with more practice it will get better for me as i get better and not make mistakes as how much season to taste is right for me : }
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I love this recipe but would love some suggestions on what to pair it with as a side dish. I typically saute greens and serve scallops over the greens but not sure that would be a good pairing with the beurre blanc sauce. -
Rouxbe Staff
If you mean that this dish is the main dish (rather than an appetizer), you might want to serve it with other things that aren't so heavy. I would say that salad or greens are always a good choice Katie, so no worries there. Besides, these days most people don't seem to eat as many greens as they should. For a different choice of greens you could always try serving them with asparagus, which also happens to go quite well with Beurre Blanc. Depending on what you want to eat or serve, you could also make some risotto or even some nice simple steamed potatoes to go with the scallops. If you don't like asparagus you could serve some steamed French beans instead. Sometimes, the simples things sound boring but when all of these elements are cooked perfectly, they are not boring at all. Hope this helps. Cheers!
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I'm confused. All I can seem to find is olive oil that has been infused with truffles or some even with truffle flavors. I've had the truffle oil that is really olive oil with truffle flavors before and like a previous post found it disappointing. Where can I find "the truffle oil - straight truffle oil is very strong tasting, you generally would only need a drop or two to add lots of truffle flavor" that you mention. -
Rouxbe Staff
There have been several discussions on truffle oil in the forum. If you type in "truffle oil" in the search bar at the top right of any page, you'll find quite a few threads. I have not seen pure truffle oil - if it exists, I imagine it would be tremendously expensive. Many places that sell truffle oil have samples to taste before you make your purchase. Ask before buying. Here is a link to one of the threads in the forum on this subject. Cheers!
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How do you know you are buying REAL truffle oil. I seen online theres truffle oil out there thats fake and has alot of additives.... and to beware of fake truffle oils so how do i know where to go and buy it?
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Rouxbe Staff
Again, as you will see from the previous threads, I, personally have not seen pure truffle oil. I would find a gourmet supplier in your area and talk to them. Even if you find a brand online that you are interested, contact the company that makes it and ask them those very same questions. That's the only way you'll really know what you're getting. Cheers!
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Thank you all for all the comments about truffle oil...still I am trying to understand better this ingredient as well as its limits. There seems to be some dishes that benefit from it like risotto, some pastas and soups. Could you help me identify the flavor profile that I am looking for? For instance, salsa verde or, say, salads would not benefit from it, right? It seems to compliment better hearty, fall-winter dishes. Would you add it to some roasted vegetables for instance? Thanks for your input. -
Rouxbe Staff
As I mentioned in one of the previous posts you made, I recommend that you pick up a book called the "Flavor Bible" by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. It is an excellent reference book that provides plenty of suggestions on how to pair flavors and what foods are known to go well together. Meats, poultry, seafood, potatoes, pasta, risotto, eggs...all can be paired with truffle oil. The options are almost endless. You do need to experiment though. Truffle oil provides a very strong flavor and should be used sparingly. Once you smell it and taste it, you will sort of have an idea of what it might go with. Yes, a drop or two can be added to a homemade vinaigrette and may be lovely over something like a mushroom salad. In salsa verde? Probably not...but then again, this is how chefs create some very unique dishes. The next time you make salsa verde, set some aside and add a very very tiny drop and taste. Roasted vegetables? Sure. Maybe mix in a drop or two of truffle oil with a neutral tasting oil and toss your vegetables in that. The main thing is to take some risks, experiment and taste taste taste. That is the only way you will learn to see what you like and don't like. Hope this helps. Cheers!
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Thanks Kimberley...I did look it up in the flavor bible but wanted to have your personal opinion. Some flavors are harder to grasp than others...I will take risks and try different foods. Although probably I will not add it to vanilla ice cream...just kidding. Sorry that we keep asking all these questions. Again, thanks for your input.
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I'm planning to make this recipe for a small dinner party tomorrow, but as I suspected our small supermarket doesn't carry truffle oil. (A 2-hour drive would take me to the nearest market that carries it!) Do you have any substitute suggestions? I thought of sesame seed oil, but am not sure how well that flavor would go with the scallops and beurre blanc. Thanks in advance. -
Rouxbe Staff
There is really no substitute for truffle oil because it has such a unique flavor. Scallops with a beurre blance are will still be delicious without it. You could use a very small touch of sesame oil but I think it would be better without it. It's up to you though. Taste the sauce first and if you think you want a drop of sesame oil, go ahead. You can try ordering some truffle oil online for next time. Cheers!
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I used this one tonight. Great stuff. Especially the beure sause. One recommendation I would make to people, well two, 1. cut the Scallops in half horizontally as this allows them to cook better 2. make sure the pan is really hot with oil before you put the Scallops in, its the only way you get the really nice seering aspect to them -
I had some truly "fresh off the boat" scallops and wanted to prepare them in a way where the flavor of the scallops was the highlight of the dish. Similar to others in this thread, I didn't have truffle oil so hoped for the best without it. The beurre blanc is delicate and simply enhanced the flavor as I'd hoped. Thanks, Roube!!
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