The perfect recipe for seared scallops with a beautiful golden-brown crust. Made with only two ingredients in about ten minutes, perfect for Valentine's Day or date night.
Rinse scallops in cold water and remove the "foot." (This is the muscley piece that keeps the scallop attached to its shell. Just use your fingers to pull off and discard it.) Dry scallops very well and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking (about five minutes). Add avocado oil and heat until shimmering.
Add scallops to the skillet to sear. Sear 2 minutes, then flip over in the order you put them in the pan (to ensure equal cooking time). Sear the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Preparing scallops: When drying the scallops, make sure they are VERY dry. This is the only way to get that gorgeous crust!
Getting a perfect crust: Do not move the scallops after adding to skillet. Keeping them still gives them their even, crispy texture.
Variations: Instead of avocado oil, you can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point, like grape seed oil or refined coconut oil.