Seared Scallops

I took a break from packing tonight to cook one of the last dinners I'll make in my old kitchen...which not only helped clear my mind from all the packing clutter, but helped clean out the freezer a bit.  I found a bag of frozen bay scallops (the little, dime and nickel sized ones) and set them in the fridge to thaw out earlier in morning, so they were mostly defrosted by the time I went to make dinner. I've "rapid defrosted" them before by placing the scallops in a strainer and running cold water over them, but last time I wasn't very satisfied because I felt like it made them dry and a bit stringy.  Probably my imagination or just bad job of flashfreezing, but oh well since it wasn't an issue this time.

I followed a recipe (below) from my Christmas present to myself, The All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook for pan-seared scallops, which looked similar to the recipe used for the pan-seared scallops we had at the now defunct Carytown Seafood Restaurant in Richmond, with the exception of using a ziploc rather than a prep bowl to coat the scallops and making the sauce after the scallops. The recipe was pretty straightforward, and for once, I pretty much went by the book.  The only changes I made were adding a bit of basil and garlic to the flour mixture, and adjusting the amounts since I only used 1lb of scallops rather than 1.5.  The white wine I used was a nice dry Mediterranean White I found on sale at Harris Teeter for $4.99 while picking up all my prescriptions yesterday.  The pretty label attracted me at first more than the price, but I was pleasantly surprised by the glass I drank while eating dinner.  However, with the actual meal I drank my favorite reisling, Cheateau St. Michelle.

I was surprised by how nice they turned out- making bay scallops is always a challenge in avoiding overcooking, and I wasn't really sure how mixing the balsamic vinegar and white wine would work together.  The sauce actually ended up being delicious, but I think this recipe would work better with sea scallops, since the flavor from the bay scallops was a bit overshadowed by the sauce.  Either way, it was delicious and fun to try something new.  Scallops are one of my favorite foods, so I always love finding a new twist to an old classic.

  Recipe is below with my additions & comments in italics.  

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2  pounds  sea scallops
• 2  teaspoons  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  dry white wine
• 1  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar
• Fresh parsley sprigs (optional)
• Garlic Salt (to taste depending on the flavor of the spice you are using, but about a teaspoon)
  
• Dried Basil (approximately 1 teaspoon)
  

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add scallops. Seal bag, and shake to coat.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. I have found with the smaller bay scallops that once they have been seared on one side until brown, constant stirring and flipping works the best, while with the larger sea scallops, searing on each individual side yields the best results. 
Add wine and vinegar to pan; cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring with a whisk. Stir in scallops; remove from heat. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.