Creamy Corn Grits with Sea Scallops
Experience the ultimate comfort food elevated with elegance in this recipe for Creamy Corn Grits with Sea Scallops. Perfectly cooked stone-ground grits are simmered with milk, stock, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese until irresistibly rich and velvety, while golden-brown sea scallops lend a luxurious touch with their delicate sweetness. A light, zesty beurre blanc sauce made with dry white wine, fresh lemon juice, and fragrant shallots ties the dish together, creating a restaurant-quality meal that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Ideal for impressing guests or enjoying a special weeknight dinner, this dish combines Southern-inspired comfort with French culinary finesse. Serve it warm, garnished with vibrant parsley, for a stunning presentation that tastes as good as it looks!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup Stone-ground grits
- 2 cups Milk
- 2 cups Chicken or vegetable stock
- 0.5 cup Heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 0.5 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 Sea scallops
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 0.25 cup Dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon Shallots, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
Bring the milk and chicken or vegetable stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the stone-ground grits.
Reduce the heat to low and cook the grits, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until thick and creamy.
Stir in the heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, grated Parmesan cheese, and season with 0.5 teaspoon of salt and 0.25 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Keep warm on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Pat the sea scallops dry with a paper towel and season both sides with the remaining 0.5 teaspoon of salt and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper.
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, place the scallops in the skillet in a single layer.
Sear the scallops for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside.
In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the minced shallots and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
Deglaze the pan with the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until the wine reduces by half.
Stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley to create a light beurre blanc sauce. Remove from heat.
To serve, spoon the creamy corn grits onto warm plates, top with seared scallops, and drizzle with the beurre blanc sauce. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3596 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 152.6 g | 196% | |
| Saturated Fat | 73.0 g | 365% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 820 mg | 273% | |
| Sodium | 13018 mg | 566% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 247.4 g | 90% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.6 g | 16% | |
| Total Sugars | 26.0 g | ||
| Protein | 296.6 g | 593% | |
| Vitamin D | 5.4 mcg | 27% | |
| Calcium | 1271 mg | 98% | |
| Iron | 6.6 mg | 37% | |
| Potassium | 5051 mg | 107% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
