Chef critique

Seared Scallops with Basque Corn Piperade

This is an elegant and seasonal scallop dish with well-written cooking times and temperatures, but the vegetable piperade requires significantly more salt to bring out its flavor, and the transition between cooking the piperade and searing the scallops needs a cleaner pan.

Score: 7/10

Suggested fixes

Update the total kosher salt in the ingredient list to 1 3/4 tsp.
In step 2, increase the kosher salt on the piperade vegetables to 1 tsp.
In step 4, increase the kosher salt on the scallops to 3/4 tsp.
In step 5, instruct the cook to quickly rinse and wipe the skillet completely dry before heating the oil for the scallops.

Issues

high / flavor: The piperade is severely underseasoned. Nearly 800g of vegetables (corn, onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes) are seasoned with only 1/4 tsp of kosher salt. Using the 1% guideline by weight, the vegetables need closer to 1 tsp of kosher salt. The 12 oz (340g) of scallops could also use slightly more salt to reach the 1.25% target.
medium / cookability: Wiping out the skillet after cooking a saucy, tomato-based piperade will likely leave residue that will scorch during the high-heat sear for the scallops.

Strengths

Excellent combination of late-summer produce and flavors that fit the Basque profile nicely.
The 125°F pull temperature is perfect for tender, just-opaque sea scallops.
The prep work is isolated into a very clear bulleted list, keeping the active cooking steps streamlined.