Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Roasted Root Vegetable Hash
Sweet succulent scallops are the perfect pairing with roasted root vegetables, creating a dish that’s both belly-filling but also elegant. I’ve partnered with my friends at Lidl to develop a recipe using their MSC-certified Frozen North Atlantic Sea Scallops. I love the mix scallops with the heartiness of potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots but other root vegetables such as parsnips would be fabulous—the key here is to cut everything the same uniform size for equal cooking time. This dish is perfect for holiday entertaining—just add a salad, a loaf of crusty bread and you’re set.
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. MSC-certified Lidl Frozen North Atlantic Sea Scallops, thawed
2 medium sweet potatoes
3 red potatoes
5 carrots
1 small red onion
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 sprigs of thyme, plus more for garnish
1 tsp ground cumin
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for searing scallops
1 tsp Kosher salt and ½ tsp Black pepper, plus more for seasoning scallops
METHOD
Preheat oven to 425F.
Cut sweet potato, red potato, carrots and onion into small ½” to ¾” pieces. Transfer to a sheet pan along with garlic and toss with olive oil, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, cumin and thyme. Arrange in one layer and return to oven to roast for 22-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender and charred in spots. Remove from oven, remove thyme sprigs and set aside.
Meanwhile, blot scallops dry with paper towel and season on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper. On a skillet over medium high heat, add enough oil to thinly coat pan surface. Add scallops to pan (don’t crowd the pan, cook in batches if necessary) and cook for 2 minutes on one side. Flip scallops to the other side, add butter and cook for 1 minute, basting the scallops with butter.
To serve, add roasted vegetables to a serving platter, then top with scallops. Drizzle with any remaining butter from pan, garnish with thyme sprigs and serve immediately.