Scallops doesn’t get much better than this. Seared to perfection and served in creamy Tuscan flavored sauce. This will take your love for seafood and Italian flavored food to another level.
What are Creamy Tuscan Scallops
This recipe is made of scallops in a creamy, Italian flavored sauce. The sauce is made with butter, white wine, cream, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach with seasoning and herbs.
I developed this recipe because of a dish I tried at an Italian restaurant here in Birmingham called Bellinis. While they have a set menu, every so often they will have specials that’s only available for a limited time. One of their specials were Creamy Tuscan Shrimp. Those flavors hit me hard, and all was able to think about was mimicking this dish, especially since I never saw the dish on their menu again. However, instead of shrimp, I used scallops. I knew the bold flavor of the scallops, will be exceptional with the Tuscan flavored sauce.
How to prepare
The scallops
Of course the scallops are the most important aspect of this dish. Using jumbo scallops are a must. They’re plump, juicy and packed with flavors. Scallops can be pricey, so if you don’t feel like splurging, I recommend buying them on sale. The seafood department at your local grocery store should periodically have them on sale.
Like any other seafood, it doesn’t take scallops long to cook. It is very important to make sure the scallops are free of moisture. If your scallops have a lot of moisture, it will hinder the searing process. The searing process includes adding a little oil and butter in a skillet, and cooking the scallops for a few minutes on one side, then flipping and cooking them an additional few minutes on the other side. In order to get the perfect sear, you must heat your skillet on high heat. Let the scallops rest on a plate while you began preparing your sauce.
The sauce
The sauce is cooked in the same skillet as the scallops. Do not clean the skillet, because we are going to use those drippings for the sauce. First, you will deglaze the skillet with white wine and butter. Next, you will add your garlic, and sauté for a minute or so. Stir in your chicken broth, heavy cream, seasonings, herbs, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. When buying your sun-dried tomatoes, try to buy a brand that have herbs. If you can’t find a brand with herbs, no worries because the sauce is very flavorful. Once the sauce has simmered for several minutes, stir in your asiago cheese, and simmer until you’ve reached your desired thickness.
Another awesome characteristic about this dish is there’s no need use a thickening agent like flour or cornstarch. Typically heavy cream mixed with butter and cheese will produce an abundant sauce.
What to serve with Creamy Tuscan Scallops
I recommend pasta, rice or potatoes. For keto, it’s great with sautéed mixed vegetables.
I hope you enjoy this recipe because it’s definitely one of my favorites. If you make this recipe, please tag me on any of the social media platforms linked on this page. There’s also a Reel on IG of me preparing it. Just click the link below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRKcLolhq0I/
Creamy Tuscan Scallops
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. jumbo sea scallops
- 8.5 oz. sun dried tomatoes julienne cut with herbs, drained
- 3 garlic cloves minced or chopped
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 oz. fresh baby spinach stems removed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder `
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup freshly grated or shredded asiago cheese
- 2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil for searing
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter for searing
Seasoning for scallops
- sea salt
- garlic powder
- black pepper
Instructions
- Dry scallops with paper towel to make sure they are free of moisture. Season scallops on both sides with sea salt, garlic powder and black pepper.
- In a large skillet, preferably a 12 inch, heat oil and butter over high heat. Once oil and butter is hot, Sear scallops for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, then flip and sear other side for 1 1/2 minutes. Do not crowd pan, as this will not produce a good sear. Cook in batches if you need to. Both sides should be golden brown. Remove from skillet and let rest on plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and add wine to deglaze the skillet. Add 4 tbsp. butter, and once melted, add garlic. Sauté garlic for 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add sun dried tomatoes and spinach, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add asiago cheese and let simmer for additional 2 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and thickened. Return scallops to skillet with sauce and serve with pasta, potatoes or rice.
No Comments