Roasted Scallops with Carrot Purée and Crispy Carrot Chips
Prep
20 mins
Cook
25 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
This is one of my favorite dishes to make when I want something that feels fancy but comes together in under an hour. Sweet roasted scallops paired with silky carrot purée and crispy carrot chips create a restaurant quality plate that's surprisingly simple to pull off at home. Carrots are packed with beta carotene, which supports eye health, and they add natural sweetness that complements the tender scallops beautifully. What I love most is that everything comes from one sheet pan and a single pot, so cleanup is minimal and you're not juggling multiple cookware pieces. With just 20 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, you'll have an elegant dinner on the table that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 16large sea scallops(pat dry with paper towels)
- ¾ kgcarrots(divided: 1 lb for purée, 0.5 lb for chips)
- 6 tablespoonsunsalted butter(divided)
- 118 mlvegetable broth
- 3 tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
- 2shallots(minced)
- 3 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoonsea salt(adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
- 4 sprigsfresh thyme
- 2garlic cloves(minced)
- 59 mlheavy cream
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and cut 0.5 lb of carrots into thin chips using a mandoline or vegetable peeler. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 15-18 minutes until golden and crispy, stirring halfway through. Set aside.
Tip: Watch the chips closely in the final minutes to prevent burning.
- 2
Chop the remaining 1 lb of carrots into 1-inch pieces. In a large pot, bring vegetable broth to a boil with 2 tablespoons butter. Add carrot pieces, minced garlic, and thyme sprigs. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until carrots are very tender.
Tip: The carrots should be soft enough to mash easily with a fork.
- 3
Remove thyme sprigs from the carrot mixture. Transfer carrots and cooking liquid to a blender. Add 2 tablespoons butter and cream. Blend until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
Tip: For extra silky texture, pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve.
- 4
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season scallops generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
Tip: Room temperature scallops cook more evenly than cold ones.
- 5
Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, place scallops in the hot skillet. Sear for 2-3 minutes on the first side without moving them, until golden. Flip and cook another 2 minutes on the second side. Transfer to a plate.
Tip: Don't move the scallops while searing—this develops a beautiful golden crust.
- 6
In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add minced shallots and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in lemon juice and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
Tip: These browned bits add rich flavor to your sauce.
- 7
Add 2 tablespoons cold butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly to create a silky emulsion. Remove from heat once butter is fully incorporated.
Tip: Keep the heat low to prevent the sauce from breaking.
- 8
To plate, spoon warm carrot purée into the center of each serving bowl. Arrange 4 scallops over the purée. Drizzle lemon beurre blanc around the plate and top with roasted carrot chips. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
Tip: Serve immediately while scallops are still warm and tender.
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