It should be very dry! Sorry, I just watched a James Bond film. The point is if you are buying "fresh" sea scallops from the grocery store, they were likely brined in sodium triphosphate (STP), which causes the scallops to absorb lots of water. That's why home cooks find it almost impossible to get that nice brown "sear" on the scallop's surface.

Besides having a longer shelf life, and an aftertaste, STP-soaked scallops are much heavier, which means your paying more for less. You have two options to avoid the evils of sodium triphosphate. You can buy "day boat" or "diver" scallops. This is a great option if you've won the lottery. These fresh scallops are harvested by divers and sold immediately. They are the highest quality scallops you can get - and you will pay dearly for it.

The other option, which is becoming more widely available, is frozen scallops. If you check the ingredients, and it lists only "scallops," you have what are known as "dry pack" scallops; these contain no STP. They taste better, and if well drained, and patted dry, are much easier to cook properly.

Once you've found some STP-free scallops, give these recipes a try:
Seared Scallops with Fava Beans, Bacon, and Mint
Seared Scallops with Asparagus
Seared Scallops with Pancetta and Leeks

Photo © John Mitzewich

The sauces of summer tend to be enjoyed in various states of undress. Brick-red barbecue sauce enjoyed in matching bikini. Sweet, sticky, honey-mustard glazed chicken savored shirtless on a sunny lawn.

But, even during the long days of summer, there are some more formal evening meals, where we must wear shirts with buttons, and shoes with socks. This five-minute cherry cabernet sauce recipe is perfect for those meals.

It's beautiful, delicious, elegant, and, most importantly, this sauce only cooks for about five minutes - I mean, come on, we were at the beach all day - who has time to stand over a sauce? It's bad enough we had to put dress shoes on!

Photo © John Mitzewich