Sorrel is a wonderfully pungent, tart spring green that takes well to rich and sweet ingredients. Here, it’s melted into a garlicky, buttery pan sauce and served with seared scallops. One thing to note: as sorrel cooks, it dims from bright green to olive drab in color. But a garnish of chives – with the chive blossoms if you can get them – will perk things up considerably. If you can’t find sorrel, you can make this dish with watercress or spinach, though you may need to add a squirt of lemon juice at the end to balance the flavors.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 pound sea scallops, patted dry
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, as needed
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon dry white vermouth or white wine
  • 4 ounces sorrel (about 3 cups loosely packed), stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

      344 calories; 18 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 100 milligrams cholesterol; 935 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

2 to 4 servings

Preparation

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Season scallops with salt and pepper; place in pan in a single layer. Cook without moving until bottoms are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not turn. Transfer scallops to a plate.
  2. Return pan to medium heat. Add garlic and cook 10 seconds. Stir in vermouth and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the sorrel; season lightly with salt and pepper.
  3. Return scallops to pan, seared side up. Continue cooking until sorrel is a dark olive green and falling apart and scallops are just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle in chives and serve.

20 minutes

Dining and Cooking