Pistachio Browned Butter Scallops with Carrot-Parsnip Puree

This is my very favorite kind of meal. It’s got a short ingredient list, doesn’t require special skills, and it seems very fancy despite being really quite simple to make. It’s the kind of meal you can make for someone you’re looking to impress and accomplish that mission, without any frenzied panic in the kitchen to accompany it.

BUT because it’s a deceptively simple meal, it’s also perfect for a weeknight dinner. Case in point, this was a Monday night meal for me. And god knows there’s no day on which one feels less like cooking an elaborate dinner than on a Monday.

The scallops cook up in a matter of minutes, and the salty, nutty butter sauce pairs well with the earthy-sweet flavor of the puree atop which the scallops are served. Any root vegetable will do for the puree– I used a mixture of carrots and parsnips, but you could easily puree roasted beets, potatoes, or even use cauliflower puree and have similar results.

Pistachio Browned Butter Scallops with Carrot-Parsnip Puree (serves 4)

• 1-2 T. Olive Oil
• 1 lb. Scallops, side muscle removed
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 T. Unsalted Butter, chopped into cubes
• 1/3 c. Unsalted Pistachios, finely chopped
• Carrot-Parsnip Puree, see below

Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper, and cook without moving until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn scallops and add butter to pan. Spoon butter over scallops frequently, and add pistachios after 1 minute. Cook scallops for an additional 2 minutes, continuing to spoon with butter, until scallops are cooked through and butter smells nutty. Serve scallops atop carrot-parsnip puree and spoon pistachio brown butter over top.

Carrot-Parsnip Puree

• 4 Parsnips, peeled
• 7-8 large Carrots, peeled
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Whole Milk

Heat over to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss carrots and parsnips with a drizzle of olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast until soft when pierced with a knife, around 45 minutes. Remove from oven and puree with an additional drizzle of olive oil and a splash of whole milk. Puree with additional oil/milk, one splash at a time, to desired consistency.

The carrot-parsnip puree will pair nicely with a variety of proteins, so feel free to get creative with any leftovers. You could serve it with other fish, a roasted chicken, or even underneath a braised beef when you’re cooking on a lazy weekend. Thinned out more, the puree could be drizzled on a grain bowl for the vegetarians out there! And I would eat that pistachio browned butter all by itself, but that’s another matter entirely…

Books! Whatcha readin? I’m currently 3/4 of the way through Rebecca, which is a bit of an unusual pick for me in that it sort of splits the chronological difference between the classic British lit and modern fiction I normally read. It was a little too much of a slow burn for me for the first half, but it’s (finally) picking up, and now I’m struggling to put it down! The perfect vaguely spooky, post-Halloween book. Plus once I finish I get to watch Alfred Hitchcock’s movie version. Who wouldn’t love that?