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1
Put the oil and half the butter in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat.
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2
Sprinkle the scallops with salt and a bit of cayenne.
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3
When the butter foam subsides, add the scallops to the skillet, one at a time (or all at once if youre using bay scallops), and turn the heat to high.
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4
Cook for about 2 minutes or until brown on one side, then turn and brown the other side for another minute or two.
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5
(Scallops are best when rare in the center; if you like them more well done, cook for another couple of minutes.)
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6
Transfer the scallops to a plate and keep warm.
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7
Add the nuts to the skillet and, still over high heat, cook, stirring, until dark brown, just a minute or two.
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8
Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a syrup, about 5 minutes.
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9
Add the remaining butter; when it has thickened the sauce, pour over the scallops, garnish if you like, and serve.
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10
A word about buying scallops: Many are dipped in a chemical solution to prolong their shelf life.
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11
Not coincidentally, this soaking causes them to absorb water, which increases their weight andwater being cheaper than scallopsdecreases their value.
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12
Furthermore, the added water makes browning more difficult.
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13
You can recognize processed scallops by their stark white color; in addition, they are usually sitting in liquid at the store.
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14
Buy dry, beige (or slightly pink or orange) scallops from a reliable fishmonger and you wont have a problem.
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15
Many cooks remove the tough little hinge present on one side of most scallops before cooking.
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But when youre stuffing scallops, leave it on and cut from the side directly opposite.
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The hinge will then serve the purpose of holding the scallop together and can be removed at the table or eaten; its slightly tough, but not unpleasant.
