Seared Scallops with Lemon Garlic Butter

Mother's Day 2024. The annual tradition continues in this kitchen that has held every holiday since I started cooking through cancer and came out the other side with a cast iron skillet and a refusal to stop. I am 41 and Mother's Day means what it has always meant: too much food, the right people, and the gratitude spoken aloud because life taught me that gratitude unspoken is gratitude wasted.

The table is full. Mason (13) and Lily (11) are here, growing taller and more themselves with each passing year. Tom is here, beside me, where he has been since the day he showed up with wildflowers and patience and the quiet understanding that love is not a grand gesture but a daily one.

Brett is here — always here, every holiday, every Wednesday, the constant brother in the wheelchair who has been my anchor since we were children on a ranch that no longer exists. Kyle calls from wherever the Army has him, and his voice on the phone is the voice of the brother who left and came back and left again, and the leaving and returning is the rhythm of this family.

I made herb-crusted lamb this week, because Mother's Day demands the food that says: I am here, you are here, we are together, and together is the only word that matters. The recipe is the same as last year and the year before and all the years stretching back to the ranch kitchen where Diane stood at 6 AM making cinnamon rolls for a family that ate them without knowing they were eating love. I know now. I've always known. And I make the food and serve it and watch my family eat and think: this. This is why I survived. For this table. For this food. For these people. For this.

This year, like every year, I wanted the food on the Mother’s Day table to say something — to carry the weight of what the day means to me, the surviving and the thriving and the choosing to show up again and again. These seared scallops with lemon garlic butter are exactly that kind of food: they look like a grand gesture, but they come together with patience and attention, which is really just another way of describing love. Tom and the kids, Brett in his usual chair, Kyle’s voice on the phone — a table like that deserves something golden and bright, and these scallops deliver every time.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs large sea scallops (about 16—20), side muscle removed and patted very dry
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Dry the scallops thoroughly. Pat scallops dry on all sides with paper towels — this step is non-negotiable for a proper golden sear. Season both flat sides with salt and pepper just before cooking.
Heat the pan. Place a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering and just beginning to smoke, about 2 minutes.
Sear the scallops. Add scallops in a single layer, making sure they do not touch. Sear without moving them for 2—2 1/2 minutes, until a deep golden crust forms on the bottom. Flip and sear the second side for another 1 1/2—2 minutes. Transfer to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil.
Build the lemon garlic butter. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp of the butter to the same pan. Once melted, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
Deglaze and finish the sauce. Pour in the white wine (or broth) and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Let it reduce for 1—2 minutes. Remove from heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tbsp butter one tablespoon at a time until the sauce is glossy and emulsified. Stir in lemon zest and parsley.
Plate and serve. Arrange scallops on a platter or individual plates, spoon the lemon garlic butter sauce generously over the top, and serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside.

Nutrition (per serving)

Seared Scallops with Lemon Garlic Butter — The Mother’s Day Table That Earned Something Beautiful