Grilled Scallops with Wilted Spinach and Lemon-Caper Butter Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

• Lemon-Caper Butter:
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• 2 tablespoons capers, preferably salt packed, rinsed and finely minced
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
• Kosher or sea salt


• 1 pound sea scallops
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 3 bunches (12 to 14 ounces each) spinach, thick stems removed
• 4 lemon wedges

In just a few moments on the stove, a potful of rough fresh spinach leaves wilts down into a silky bed for grilled scallops. A composed butter enlivened with capers and lemon zest creates a simple sauce as it melts on the hot greens and shellfish. Be sure to warm the dinner plates for a few minutes in a low oven to keep the food hot. Both the spinach and the scallops cool off quickly otherwise.

Prepare a moderate charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill tomedium (375°F). To make the lemon-caper butter, put thebutter, capers, lemon zest, and parsley in a bowl and stir with awooden spoon until smooth. Season to taste with salt.

Remove the "foot" or small muscle on the side of eachscallop. Halve the scallops horizontally, or slice them in thirdsif they are jumbo scallops, so the slices are no more than½ inchthick. Season all over with salt and pepper and brush with themelted butter.

Put the spinach in a large pot with just the washing waterclinging to the leaves. Cover and cook over moderate heat,stirring with tongs once or twice, until the spinach is barely wilted,about 3 minutes. Drain in a sieve or colander. Do not press onthe leaves or squeeze them to extract more liquid; you want toleave them fairly moist. Return them to the same pot and addhalf of the lemon-caper butter. Toss with tongs over low heat sothat the butter melts and coats the spinach. Taste for salt. Keepthe spinach warm while you grill the scallops.

Grill the scallops directly over the coals or gas flame, turningonce, until they are nicely marked by the grill and no longertranslucent, about 5 minutes total.

Divide the spinach among warmed dinner plates. Arrangethe scallops on top, and immediately slather the scallopswith the remaining butter. The butter will melt from the heatof the shellfish. Garnish each serving with a lemon wedge andserve immediately.

• Lemon-Caper Butter:
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• 2 tablespoons capers, preferably salt packed, rinsed and finely minced
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
• Kosher or sea salt


• 1 pound sea scallops
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 3 bunches (12 to 14 ounces each) spinach, thick stems removed
• 4 lemon wedges

In just a few moments on the stove, a potful of rough fresh spinach leaves wilts down into a silky bed for grilled scallops. A composed butter enlivened with capers and lemon zest creates a simple sauce as it melts on the hot greens and shellfish. Be sure to warm the dinner plates for a few minutes in a low oven to keep the food hot. Both the spinach and the scallops cool off quickly otherwise.

Prepare a moderate charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill tomedium (375°F). To make the lemon-caper butter, put thebutter, capers, lemon zest, and parsley in a bowl and stir with awooden spoon until smooth. Season to taste with salt.

Remove the "foot" or small muscle on the side of eachscallop. Halve the scallops horizontally, or slice them in thirdsif they are jumbo scallops, so the slices are no more than½ inchthick. Season all over with salt and pepper and brush with themelted butter.

Put the spinach in a large pot with just the washing waterclinging to the leaves. Cover and cook over moderate heat,stirring with tongs once or twice, until the spinach is barely wilted,about 3 minutes. Drain in a sieve or colander. Do not press onthe leaves or squeeze them to extract more liquid; you want toleave them fairly moist. Return them to the same pot and addhalf of the lemon-caper butter. Toss with tongs over low heat sothat the butter melts and coats the spinach. Taste for salt. Keepthe spinach warm while you grill the scallops.

Grill the scallops directly over the coals or gas flame, turningonce, until they are nicely marked by the grill and no longertranslucent, about 5 minutes total.

Divide the spinach among warmed dinner plates. Arrangethe scallops on top, and immediately slather the scallopswith the remaining butter. The butter will melt from the heatof the shellfish. Garnish each serving with a lemon wedge andserve immediately.