Seared Scallops with Corn Rice

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: seafood

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Corn rice

4 corn on the cob
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots minced
2 garlic cloves minced
2 cups medium-grain rice

Garlic chive sauce

⅓ cup chopped chives
⅓ cup chopped scallions
2 garlic cloves
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
salt and pepper

Scallops

1 tablespoon oil
1 pound scallops
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Prepare corn rice. Shuck corn on the cob and set aside corn kernels. Break shucked cobs in half and place in a pot with chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, strain the liquid, discard corn cobs. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and saute until lightly charred and browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside ½ cup of the corn.
Transfer remaining corn to a blender. Add ½ cup milk and blend until smooth. Remove ½ cup and set aside. Add ¼ cup heavy cream to remaining pureed corn and blend until smooth. Season with salt and keep warm.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add rice and toast for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add corn stock and reserved ½ cup corn puree, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and continue to cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir the rice and fluff with a fork. Keep covered until ready to serve.
While rice is cooking, making garlic chive sauce. Combine all ingredients including chives, scallions, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, and red chili flakes in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season sauce with salt and pepper and set aside.
Cook scallops. Pat scallops dry and season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast iron or saute pan over medium-high heat. Lay scallops in an even layer and cook for 2 minutes. Flip scallops over and add 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Continue to cook for 1 more minute, basting the scallops with butter. Remove from heat.
Portion rice into bowls or serve in a large platter. Spoon remaining corn puree on top of the rice or on a separate platter and top with reserved charred corn and scallops. Drizzle garlic chive sauce on top and serve immediately.

Notes

You can prepare the corn puree and garlic chive sauce the day before.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Cook rice

These seared scallops with corn rice require multiple steps, but trust me. The results are truly fantastic and worth every effort.

Let's start by preparing the corn. The corn plays a key role in this dish, providing the flavor for the rice, contributing a finishing sauce, and acting as a garnish to complete the dish.

Shuck four ears of corn, setting aside the kernels and breaking the cobs in half. Simmer the cobs in 3 cups of chicken broth for 10 minutes to infuse the broth with corn flavor.

While the broth simmers, sauté the corn kernels in a tablespoon of olive oil until lightly charred, about 5 minutes, then set aside ½ cup of the corn. Blend the remaining corn with ½ cup of milk until smooth. It helps to use a high-power blender to get the corn puree as smooth as possible.

Reserve ½ cup of this puree - we'll be adding this to the rice. For the remaining corn puree, add ¼ cup heavy cream and blend again. We'll be serving this as the corn sauce in the final dish.

In a medium saucepot, sauté minced shallots and garlic in butter until softened. Add 2 cups of medium-grain rice, toasting for a minute before adding the warm corn stock and reserved corn puree. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. The rice is done when it's tender and has absorbed all the liquid.

Don't worry if you open the pot and see a layer of thick liquid on top. Once you stir the rice and let it sit, the grains will absorb that delicious corn juice.

While the rice cooks, prepare the garlic chive sauce by blending chives, scallions, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and red chili flakes in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Feel free to make the corn-infused chicken stock, corn puree, and garlic chive sauce the day before.

Step 2: Prepare scallops

Now that most components are ready, it's time to prepare the scallops.

Recipe tip

For perfectly seared scallops, pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This step is crucial for achieving a golden-brown crust.

Season the scallops with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika for a spicy kick. You can also use regular paprika.

Heat oil in a large cast-iron or sauté pan over medium-high heat until it's almost smoking. I prefer to use a cast-iron pan because it can withstand high heat.

Place the scallops in the pan, ensuring they're not overcrowded, and cook for 2 minutes without moving them. This allows a nice crust to form.

Flip the scallops, add butter to the pan, and cook for another minute while basting with the melted butter. The scallops are done when they're golden brown on both sides and slightly firm to the touch.

Step 3: Putting it all together

To serve, portion the corn rice into bowls. Top with the remaining corn puree, reserved charred corn, and seared scallops. Drizzle the garlic chive sauce over the top and serve immediately.

Alternatively, you can serve the rice in one bowl and the scallops in another. Spoon the corn sauce on a platter, lay the scallops on top along with the reserved corn, and drizzle the garlic chive sauce.

One bite of these seared scallops with corn rice and I was in heaven. This dish combines the sweetness of corn with the delicate flavor of scallops, creating a delightful summer meal, if I do say so myself!

For another fantastic rice bowl recipe, check out this Alabama white BBQ shrimp rice bowl!

Make-ahead and storage tips

Make-ahead: You can prepare the corn puree and garlic chive sauce the day before. You can cook the rice ahead of time and reheat it before serving.
Store: Keep the scallop, rice, corn sauce, and garlic chive sauce in separate airtight containers and store in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen corn instead of fresh corn on the cob?

You can use frozen corn and skip simmering the cobs in chicken broth, using plain chicken broth instead. However, the intensity of the corn flavor won't be as high when using frozen corn.

What's the best way to ensure perfectly seared scallops?

Pat the scallops completely dry before cooking, ensure your pan is hot, and don't overcrowd the pan. Cook them for no more than 2-3 minutes per side.

Do I have to make the rice with the scallops?

You can make the corn puree and seared scallops and skip the rice if you prefer. The scallops with the corn are a great pairing and can easily pair with other side dishes such as braised eggplant toast with garlic bean spread, roasted potato salad, and tomato nectarine burrata salad.