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Chef critique

Seared Scallops with Lemon-Dill Brown Butter

A highly appealing and well-conceived recipe that suffers from a sequencing flaw that would leave the main protein cold by the time the side dishes are finished. Reordering the final steps and properly seasoning the scallops will make this an excellent, restaurant-quality dish.

Score: 6/10

Suggested fixes

  • Reorder the cooking sequence: cook the green beans while the cauliflower roasts, but wait to purée the finished cauliflower before searing the scallops. Make the brown butter immediately after resting the scallops so everything is served hot.
  • Increase the kosher salt on the scallops in step 4 to 1 teaspoon, and adjust the total in the ingredient list to 2 1/4 teaspoons.
  • Format the food processor ingredients in step 5 as a bulleted list.
  • Change 'Zest 1 teaspoon zest' to 'Finely grate 1 teaspoon zest'.
  • Change '1/2 tablespoon' of lemon juice to '1 1/2 teaspoons' in step 5.

Issues

  • high / timing: The instructions tell the cook to prepare the green beans and scallops 'While the cauliflower roasts.' If cooked consecutively, the scallops will finish about 10 minutes before the cauliflower is done, leaving them cold while the purée and brown butter are prepared.
  • high / flavor: 16 ounces of scallops are seasoned with only 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, which is well below the recommended 1.25% by weight (about 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons depending on brand). The scallops will be substantially underseasoned.
  • low / clarity: Step 5 combines four ingredients (roasted cauliflower, yogurt, water, and lemon juice) in the food processor. Following the style rules, this should be formatted as a bulleted list separated by blank lines.
  • low / clarity: The phrase 'Zest 1 teaspoon zest' in step 1 is redundant.
  • low / clarity: The measurement '1/2 tablespoon' in step 5 is awkward to measure with standard spoons. '1 1/2 teaspoons' is more practical.

Strengths

  • Smart use of the scallop skillet to make the brown butter, incorporating the fond into the sauce.
  • Clear, precise doneness cues and temperature targets for the scallops.
  • Appealing flavor profile with balanced textures.