Scallop Grenobloise

This recipe for scallop grenobloise is a bit of a blast from the past. Truth be told this scallop dish was wildly popular in the 70s and 80s but has slowly turned into a relic. I don’t know why, as the pairing of scallops and a lemon caper sauce is so, so delicious.

This dish was made famous by the legendary chef Jacques Pépin. The name scallop grenobloise refers to the two components of the dish: scallops and grenobloise sauce (or sauce from Grenoble). I actually decided to make this recipe since I picked up a large number of scallops for my crudo recipe, and wanted to do a few different scallop dishes!

How To Make Scallop Grenobloise

a dozen sea scallops on a cutting board

Let’s start with a focus on the main ingredient: scallops. You want to get high quality sea scallops preferably with a size rating of 10/20. This mean there will be 10 to 20 scallops per pound. Ideally they should be dry packed, which means they haven’t been pumped with water to increase weight.

searing sea scallops in a black pan with oil

Salt both sides of the scallop and then put them into a pan with very hot oil. I suggest a vegetable or sunflower oil as it has a higher smoke point than olive oil. Sear the scallops for 2 minutes per side.

While the scallops are searing you can begin to make lemon supremes. Just cut the peel off the lemon and use a sharp knife to cut out the wedges from the membrane. Do this over a bowl to save the lemon juice.

melting butter in a hot pan

Remove the scallops and set off to the side. Lower the head to medium and add in three tablespoons of butter.

making grenobloise sauce in a pan

Once the butter is fully melted add in a tablespoon of capers and the lemon supremes. Stir the pan around until the butter begins to brown.

lemon caper sauce for Scallop Grenobloise

When the sauce has browned enough and slightly thickened you can remove it from the heat. Plate your scallops and just spoon the sauce directly over. Garnish with a bit of sliced spring onion and serve!

Scallop Grenobloise

This classic French recipe for scallop grenobloise is a great way to impress guests with a surprisingly simple dish.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine French
Servings 2 people
Calories 312 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 12 large Sea Scallops
  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • 2 tbsp Oil neutral, like canola or sunflower
  • 1 tbsp Capers
  • 1 Lemon supremed
  • Salt
  • Green Onion for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Pat dry your scallops and then sprinkle a little bit of salt on both sides.
  • In a pan on high heat up the oil until it is very hot. Place the scallops right into the pan and cook for two minutes per side.
  • While the scallops are cooking you can supreme the lemon. Remove the peel and then use a knife to cut out the wedges between the membrane.
  • Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside. Lower the heat to medium and add in the butter. When the butter is melted add in the capers and lemon supremes. Swirl the pan around a bit until the butter begins to brown.
  • Plate the scallops and then spoon over the grenobloise sauce. Garnish with some chopped green onion.
Keyword Capers, Citrus, Scallops, Seafood, Shellfish
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