Cast-Iron Seared Scallops with Charred Corn and Brown Butter
Char fresh corn kernels in a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet on a camp stove for about 6 minutes, then set them aside. Sear dry sea scallops 2 minutes per side in the same pan until they hit 145°F, then brown the butter, toss the corn in it and spoon it over everything. Total time is about 35 minutes with 3 ingredients.
Three ingredients and one skillet make a lunch that tastes like a restaurant plate. Sweet charred corn, a hard-seared scallop and nutty brown butter do all the work. There is nothing to hide behind, so the technique matters more than the shopping list.
This one rewards a rig with a cooler and a stove. Buy scallops the day you leave, keep them on ice, and cook them on the first or second day. Get the pan hot, keep the scallops dry, and don't touch them while they sear.
Cast-Iron Seared Scallops with Charred Corn and Brown Butter
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Heat
- High, then medium-low for the butter
- Pack weight
- 5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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