Makes 4 to 6 servings
Two flavoring combos make this stunningly simple dish exceptional: a bold marinade that becomes a sauce and a lemon-confit jam — call it “goop”— that becomes a glaze. If you haven’t already stocked some of this in your refrigerator, I urge you to do it now and to never be without it — it’s culinary magic.
The marinade mixes ginger, soy, lemon and yuzu kosho, a Japanese seasoning paste made with chiles and citrus (you can swap it for an equal amount of Thai curry or chile paste and a scrape of lemon zest — not the same, but still delicious). The jam is a slow-cooked mash of lemon zest and segments, sugar and salt.
After they’re briefly marinated, the scallops are skillet-seared (they can be grilled, if you’d like) and then, as soon as they’re cooked, they get a swipe of the jam — that’s the one-two flavor punch. Boil the leftover marinade in the pan or in a microwave, and presto! You’ve got a sauce.
Working Ahead
You can marinate the scallops up to 6 hours ahead.
Choose a container — a glass loaf pan is good here — that will hold the scallops snugly and whisk together the lemon juice, soy, ginger, yuzu kosho and ½ teaspoon honey in it. Taste, and if you think it needs to be a bit sweeter, add more honey. You don’t want a sweet marinade, but you do want to cut the bite of the chile and citrus just a smidge. Add the scallops, turning them around in the marinade, cover and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning them once. (You can marinate the scallops in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours, turning them a few times. Remove them from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before cooking.)
Remove the scallops from the marinade, but hold on to the marinade. Do a cursory job of scraping off the bits of ginger — you won’t get them all, so don’t fuss — and pat the scallops dry between paper towels.
Pour just enough oil to slick the bottom of the pan into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the scallops. Cook, without turning, for 2 minutes, then flip them over and cook for another minute, or until they are just opalescent in the center (cut into one to check). Transfer the scallops to a serving platter and swipe the tops with the goop.
Heat the marinade in the skillet or in a microwave — bring it just to a boil. Pour the marinade around the scallops or pass it at the table.
Storing: If you have any leftover scallops, refrigerate them and use them in a salad the next day.
Choices: While there’s nothing wrong with serving the scallops on their own, it’s nice to give them a bed to rest on. In the summer, they’re lovely over a pouf of salad or slices of ripe tomatoes — just salt and pepper the tomatoes and brush or drizzle them with olive oil. When tomato season is over, try them on Slow-Roasted Tomatoes for Everything. They’re also excellent over quickly wilted greens such as spinach, chard or kale.