Scallops in Lemon Cream Sauce Paired With Chardonnay

If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, you might agree with me that Valentine’s Day is hands down the WORST night of the year (hello too many reservations and 2-tops! #restauranttalk).

So ever since I’ve begun dating, I never bothered to go out on Valentine’s Day. Instead, Andrew and I cook a nicer-than-usual meal at home, open up some wine, and enjoy our night together.

This year I’m sharing with you an incredibly easy date-night meal you can make at home whether its V-day or not! These scallops in lemon cream sauce come together in under 10 minutes and take hardly any skill at all (in case you’re new to cooking!). They also require minimal ingredients so overall, compared to going to a restaurant, you’ll be saving lots of money.

Remember to complete the meal with mashed potatoes and a salad!

The Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 pound scallops

• 5 large garlic cloves, minced

• salt and black pepper to taste

• 1/4 Cup dry white wine

• 1 Cup heavy cream or half and half

• juice of 1/2 lemon

• chopped chives for garnish

Directions

1. Prepare side dishes and measure out ingredients prior to beginning since this meal comes out FAST!

2. Thaw frozen scallops in cold water and pat dry with paper towels right before cooking.

3. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure the pan is well heated, the add the scallops. Sear for 3 minutes on one side until golden brown, then flip and sear for another 2 minutes. Transfer scallops to a plate.

4. Turn the heat down a bit, then melt 2 Tbsp of butter into the same pan and scrape up any browned bits. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. Add the wine and simmer until the wine reduces by about half.

6. Turn the heat to low, then add the cream and stir until well thickened. Add the lemon juice, stir, then add the scallops back into the pan.

7. Garnish with chopped chives and serve.