Pan-Seared Scallops with Champagne Beurre Blanc and Asparagus

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender pan-seared scallops served with a luxurious champagne beurre blanc sauce and lightly sautéed asparagus, an elegant entrée for Valentine's Day. This French-inspired Valentine’s Day recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs sea scallops, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 French cuisine 320 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 12 sea scallops and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and opaque inside. Remove scallops and keep warm.
  2. Step 2: In the same skillet, add 2 tbsp minced shallots and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in 1/2 cup champagne and simmer for 4-5 minutes until reduced by half.
  3. Step 3: Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, then whisk in 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter one piece at a time until sauce is smooth and velvety.
  4. Step 4: Meanwhile, trim and blanch 1 bunch fresh asparagus spears in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then shock in ice water to keep bright green.
  5. Step 5: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in another pan over medium-high heat and sauté asparagus for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp.
  6. Step 6: Plate scallops atop the asparagus and spoon generous amounts of champagne beurre blanc sauce over the top for serving.

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