As featured in blog post #9: Candy Cornucopia.

Beurre Blanc:

• 1/2 shallot, finely diced
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup candy corn
• 1 stick butter, cold, cut into pats
• salt, to taste
• • freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Scallops:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 12 large scallops
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Dressed Greens:

• 1 cup arugula
• 1 cup basil leaves, fresh
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 1.2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Yields four appetizer sized portions or two dinner sized portions.

First melt the butter in a medium sized saute pan and add the shallots.  Stir and let sweat over medium low heat for about 5 minutes.  Once translucent, deglaze with white wine and let reduce until only a few tablespoons remain.  Stir in the candy corns and whisk over low heat until melted.  The consistency should be that of a thick syrup.  Remove from heat.

To sear the scallops heat a separate non-stick saute pan over medium high heat.  Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper.  Melt the butter and once it bubbles add the scallops.  Don’t move the scallops once you add them to allow plenty of surface contact for a good sear.  After about 3-4 minutes flip over the scallops and cook on the other side.  Depending on the thickness of your scallops the cooking times will vary.  They should go from being translucent to being opaque and be firm to the touch.

Now to finish the beurre blanc – the syrup should still be in it’s pan and have cooled off a bit.  It still needs to be somewhat warm though to partially melt the butter without turning it into a separated pool of fat.  Whisk in the first few pats of butter to test the temperature.  They should melt in about 10 seconds but not separate from the syrup.  Once you feel the temperature is right whisk in the rest of the butter pats until the sauce is emulsified and thick.  You can heat it somewhat if it gets too stiff, but whisk while heating and remove from the hot pan as soon as the consistency is where you would like it.  Season with salt and pepper.

To dress the greens mix together arugula, basil leaves, EVOO, and white wine vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Divide the greens among four plates and pool a bit of beurre blanc beside each salad.  Place three scallops on the sauce and garnish with a few candy corn to serve.  Bon app!

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Want to print this for all your besties? Of course you do! Click the link for an easy to print one-page pdf file: Scallops with a Candy Corn Beurre Blanc