Grilled Scallops with Golden Beets

Caramelized sea scallops meet smoky golden beets, juicy grilled peach, and crunchy hazelnuts under a luxurious lemon-brown butter sauce.

  • Total time: 50 min
  • Servings: 2 servings
  • Estimated total cost: $26
  • Calories per serving: 690 cal
  • Stovetop
  • Grill

Ingredients

  • Wild Caught Sea Scallops 10/20
    1 lb $15.99
  • Baby Golden Beets Bunch
    1 bunch (about 12 oz) $1.99
  • Fresh California Yellow Peach
    1 large peach $1.99
  • Shallots
    2 tablespoons minced $3.99
  • Fresh Organic Lemon
    1 lemon $1.29
  • Raw hazelnuts
    1/4 cup, roughly chopped
  • Unsalted butter
    3 tablespoons
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tablespoons
  • Pure maple syrup
    1 teaspoon
  • Dried thyme
    1/2 teaspoon
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt flakes
    1/4 cup plus 2 1/4 teaspoons
  • Freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon
  • Water
    8 cups
  • Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris
    1 bottle $20.99

Instructions

  1. Heat a grill to medium-high, about 450°F, then clean and oil the grates.

  2. Trim and scrub 1 bunch baby golden beets. Bring 8 cups water and 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt flakes to a boil in a covered saucepan. Add the beets and simmer until easily pierced with a paring knife, 18 to 22 minutes; the salted cooking water seasons them throughout.

  3. While the beets cook, remove the side muscles from 1 pound sea scallops and pat them very dry. Season all over with 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt flakes and refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes.

  4. Halve and pit 1 large peach, then brush its cut sides with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil.

  5. Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup roughly chopped raw hazelnuts and cook, swirling frequently, until the butter smells nutty and its milk solids turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in:

    • 2 tablespoons minced shallot
    • Zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
    • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt flakes
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    Keep the brown-butter hazelnut sauce warm.

  6. Drain the beets and let them cool for 5 minutes. Slip off their skins with paper towels, halve them, and toss with 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil.

  7. Grill the beets cut-side down and the peach cut-side down until marked, about 2 minutes. Turn and grill for 2 minutes more, then transfer both to a cutting board. Cut the peach into wedges.

  8. Pat the seasoned scallops dry again, then coat them with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Grill without moving until well marked, 2 to 3 minutes; turn and cook for about 2 minutes more, pulling them at 120°F. Rest for 2 minutes.

  9. Arrange the grilled beets and peach wedges on two plates, top with the scallops, and spoon the warm brown-butter hazelnut sauce over everything.

Drink pairing: A crisp Pinot Gris complements the sweet scallops and peach while refreshing the rich brown-butter sauce.

Wine picks:

  • Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris $20.99 1 bottle
  • Erath Pinot Gris Oregon White Wine $12.99 1 bottle

Why it works: The dish’s sweet scallops, grilled peach, and golden beets call for bright acidity, while the lemon-brown butter benefits from a wine with some texture. These Oregon Pinot Gris selections offer freshness without overwhelming the delicate seafood; the Willamette Valley bottling is the more polished choice for the luxurious sauce.