A few fresh figs might be used in this recipe. In our home, it is such a simple and well-liked appetizer. Along with buttery crackers, we offer this.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 20 mins |
| Total Time: | 35 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 ears fresh white corn, kernels cut from cob
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- salt to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 12 large sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 red Fresno pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
- 1 splash water
- 1 tablespoon butter, or more to taste
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup radish sprouts, or to taste
Instructions
- Stir corn kernels, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons butter, cayenne pepper, and salt together in a saucepan; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until corn is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Pour corn mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth. Pour pureed corn mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan. Season with salt to taste.
- Toss scallops, Fresno pepper, canola oil, kosher salt, and smoked paprika in a bowl until scallops are completely coated. Separate pepper slices from scallops.
- Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Cook scallops in hot skillet until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side until cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Cook and stir sliced peppers on the side of the skillet while the scallops are cooking.
- Remove skillet from heat; transfer scallops to a plate, leaving peppers in hot skillet. Stir water and 1 tablespoon butter into peppers until butter melts. Drizzle lemon juice over peppers; stir to glaze peppers completely.
- Divide corn cream between four bowls. Place 3 scallops over corn puree and top with glazed peppers. Garnish with radish sprouts.
- You can substitute grapeseed oil for the canola oil, and water for the chicken broth.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 276 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 64 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 23 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Sodium | 987 mg |
| Sugars | 3 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I look forward to summer, when it’s corn season, simply because of this recipe. Yummy! So easy to make and even my shellfish haters love this dish. You can’t beat the refreshing taste of the corn cream. Such a wonderful and elegant summer dish. Highly recommend!
This is an absolute flavor adventure. The corn cream is a star base that would elevate any dish. I used yellow corn and jalapenos as substitutions. The peppers are a necessity and add texture and spice. I topped with green onions instead of radish sprouts. The technique of oiling the scallops before searing will be my go-to method moving forward. I will certainly be making this again!
The corn cream is so delicious and refreshing and I used thai chilies instead of fresno due to availability and small scallops instead of large and it still came out as one of the favourite dishes of the night! Will make again!
Awsome, followed the recipe exactly. Loved the corn cream. I did use frozen corn but will try fresh corn when in season.
I’ve made this twice and it has been amazing each time …. even with my most picky pallets (my kids).
The corn cream lifts this dish from 4 star straight to a 6-star dish. It’s so sweet, creamy and as chef John said, brings out the sweetness of the scallops. So beautiful and quick. You must make this!
I’ve been following CJ for quite a while. Never met a recipe from him that disappointed. This one is the best. No changes necessary. Melts in your mouth.
Made as directed. Hubby and I agree it is a keeper! Next time I may try lime juice instead of lemon, and mixing jalapeño with the corn instead of frying with the scallops.
Quite yummy and a beautiful dish. I recommend more spices in the corn cream. More cayenne and some white pepper would help. Would prefer chives to radish sprouts. The corn cream with butter is a nice combo.
Used sweet red peppers and frozen corn, results were outstanding!
Absolutely awesome recipe only thing I did was Started off with a bed of rice .. then the corn .. then scallops and the pepper ! Will definitely make again !!!
Wasn’t crazy about this dish , might have been me who screwed it up. But didn’t excite my taste buds
Made this ….and it was fabulous. I used an olive wood smoked olive oil rather than canola, to add a little smoke flavor, and doubled the recipe. Also, couldn’t find Fresno Chile’s, so used Serrano, which worked fine. The corn cream was SO good, and simple to make. My family said it’s a definite repeat recipe.
This is a simple yet beautiful dish. I used a bag of frozen sweet yellow corn as that’s what I had on hand. I also used beef bone broth (the korean style that’s milky white) instead of chicken broth because again that’s what I had on hand with the oil from the soup so I didn’t use butter. I wasn’t sure of measurements so I put enough liquid to cover the corn with about 1/4” above it then followed the instructions. I had a lot of scallops and needed to cook them in batches. I still finished with red bell peppers (because that’s the only ones I had on hand) and made the glaze for them. I didn’t add butter to them since we have a dairy allergy in the family. I don’t feel like it needed it, though I’m sure it would’ve been just a hair more luxurious. This will definitely be in the rotation! Easy main dish or even an appetizer in a small dinner party with 1 scallop per person.
I sweated shallots in the butter and added sherry cooking wine. The reduced, then followed the method and the ingredients. I used tobasco for heat. I thickened it with a slurry plus I roasted corn in the oven added it to the final product. Let it sit “ hot hold”. Then I served. It turned out great.
Felt like a pro! this was relatively easy to make, happened to have all of the ingredients (other than the radish roots-no biggie) and with corn fresh from the farm and fresh scallops, it was a HUGE hit! I didn’t even strain the corn cream, just used the whole lot and it was delicious.
Absolutely outstanding recipe’ worthy of fancy restaurant meal! Simple to make following directions in video, especially omitting the straining of the corn and using an immersion blender, making a bit easier and just as tasty.
Absolutely amazing! Would love to find other uses for the corn cream.
I followed the recipe as stated & loved it! Will make again! Thanks Chef John…your recipes are right on!
As always with Chef John recipes, they always over deliver! The corn cream is truly “luxurious”. The scallops come out perfectly. I substituted red bell pepper for color and presentation and it works well.
Thank you Chef John – this was fabulous and impressive, but so easy!. No changes.