SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
Cayenne pepper gives the sweet butternut squash a spicy kick; to make the dish milder, reduce the amount of cayenne to just a pinch. Cream or whole milk can be substituted for the half-and-half if necessary. See the photos that follow the recipe.
|
2 |
pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1.inch chunks (5 cups) |
|
1 |
tablespoon half-and-half |
|
4 |
tablespoons unsalted butter |
|
Salt and pepper |
|
|
⅛ |
teaspoon cayenne pepper |
|
2 |
tablespoons vegetable oil |
|
1½ |
pounds large sea scallops, tendons removed |
|
1 |
shallot, minced |
|
2 |
teaspoons minced fresh sage plus |
|
8 |
whole sage leaves |
|
1 |
tablespoon lemon juice |
1. Place squash in bowl, cover, and microwave until tender, 8 to 12 minutes, stirring squash halfway through cooking. Drain squash and transfer to food processor. Add half-and-half, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon salt, and cayenne and process until smooth, about 30 seconds; transfer to bowl and cover.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Lay half of scallops in skillet and cook, without moving them, until well browned, 1½ to 2 minutes. Flip scallops and cook until sides are firm and centers are opaque, 30 to 90 seconds. Transfer to platter and cover. Wipe out now-empty skillet with paper towels and repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining scallops.
3. Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until melted and just starting to brown, about 1 minute. Add shallot, minced sage, and sage leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over scallops and serve with pureed squash.