Meatless Friday: Scallops over Rice

Maria Morera Johnson shares recipes for seared scallops and rice, learned from her son-in-law. Download our printable recipe card!

The thing about being in a family of foodies, those who enjoy cooking and those who happily come into our home test kitchens and give compliments to the chef, is that we’ll try something out and it becomes a launching point for someone else to give it a try with variations. This recipe I swiped from my son-in-law, who also taught me how to make rice on the stove top; I’ve always used a rice steamer on the counter. So with no further ado, I present to you: seared scallops over rice.

Seared Scallops Over Rice

Ingredients:

1 lb. scallops (fresh is always best, but I used frozen and they held together)
2 tablespoons of oil (I like olive oil but vegetable is fine)
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of flour
¼ cup of dry white wine (not cooking wine—you can omit if you don’t use wine—add a little more butter)

Pat dry the scallops and add salt and pepper to taste. I loosely dust them with a little flour. Preheat the pan to medium-high and add the oil. Put the scallops in for 2-3 minutes until they have a nice sear. Don’t over-cook! Turn over to sear the other side and cook for about two minutes to get a nice sear again. Add the butter, minced garlic, parsley, and wine. Stir well to incorporate and deglaze the pan. Cook for another minute. Serve over rice.

Bonus: Rice on the Stove-top (hat tip to Austin)

Small pot with lid
1 cup of long grain white rice
2 cups of water
Teaspoon of salt
Splash of vegetable oil

Rinse the rice well. I change the water twice. Add the 2 cups of water. Set it on high, uncovered, until the water boils. Stir the rice to loosen it in the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, fluff the rice with a fork, and cover until you plate.

Plating: I like to make a nice little bed of rice and put the scallops and gravy over it, but I think it would be delicious on its own with vegetables or pasta. I’d love to hear about your variations!