Searing Scallops

It might sound crazy but I have never seared scallops before.  I love them but I think something about scallops just made me think "restaurant."  Like I felt they would come with a label "Do Not Try This at Home."  Well, when I got to the seafood store, I realized that part of this reason I subconsciously was influenced not to make them is because they are pricey pricey.  I purchased eight of them anyway cause I was in the mood for seafood (rhyme sort of intended) and I figured I'd go for it.

Well this is super easy and next time I want to impress my honey with a romantic and elegant meal, this is what I'll do.  Searing was so easy.  First, I washed the scallops and dried them on paper towels.  I also removed the "foot" of each scallop.  The foot was nonexistent on some though because I think this seafood guy is top notch or something... things were on point. 

I then just seasoned the scallops with salt and pepper, heated butter in a pan and then added the scallops.  I waited a few minutes (I erred on the side of fewer minutes so as not to overcook) and then used tongs to turn them over.  Low and behold, there was that golden browned scallop look that, up until now, I have only seen at restaurants.  I was psycehd.  I waited two more minutes to sear the other side and then... poof, I was done. 

Instead of making a sauce or eating them just fresh from the pan, I baked some roughly chopped garlic and halved cherry tomatoes in the oven and then ate the scallops with this.  I love tomatoes like that so for me, it was great... and very filling cause I made a lot of tomatoes. 

I'll be searing scallops again and experimenting with different sauces, etc.