Food Recipes Seared Scallops with Polenta 5.0 (1) 1 Review A caper-dotted tomato sauce and seared scallops add major umami to creamy polenta in this 30-minute seafood dinner. By Liz Mervosh Liz Mervosh Elizabeth Mervosh is a product tester and recipe developer for the Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama. Highlights: * Went to work at Meredith Food Studios in 2017 * It houses test kitchens for Southern Living, Real Simple, Food & Wine, People, and Health * Went to culinary school at The Culinary Institute of America * Got her start working in restaurants Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 17, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Caitlin Bensel Hands On Time: 30 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 Jump to Nutrition Facts Scallops are always impressive yet surprisingly easy to cook at home. All you need is a very hot skillet and a bit of oil. And the best part is that they cook in under five minutes! Cook your scallops at the last minute so they're hot and ready as soon as your creamy polenta and sauce are. This tomato sauce is flavored with fresh oregano and speckled with briny capers. And instant polenta makes a fast and hearty base for this Italian-style weeknight dinner. Ingredients ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided .50 cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1 onion) 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 sprigs oregano, plus finely chopped oregano for serving 1 15-oz. can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes 2 tablespoons drained nonpareil capers 1 cup uncooked instant polenta ¼ cup unsalted butter 2 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided 16 sea scallops, patted dry Directions Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until onion softens slightly, about 3 minutes. Add oregano sprigs; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and capers. Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove oregano sprigs, transfer sauce to a small bowl, and cover to keep warm. Wipe skillet clean. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low; simmer, whisking, until thickened and creamy, about 3 minutes. Whisk in butter and 2 teaspoons salt. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Sprinkle tops of scallops with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon oil to cleaned skillet and heat over medium-high. Add half of scallops; cook, undisturbed, until edges are browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip scallops and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and scallops. Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons water into polenta to loosen, if necessary. Serve polenta topped with tomato sauce, scallops, and chopped oregano. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 503 Calories 33g Fat 38g Carbs 13g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 503 % Daily Value * Total Fat 33g 42% Saturated Fat 10g 50% Cholesterol 45mg 15% Total Carbohydrate 38g 14% Dietary Fiber 4g 14% Total Sugars 4g Protein 13g *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.