Scallop Prep

• If your scallops are frozen, thaw them before cooking by moving them into the refrigerator overnight or submerging them fully in an airtight bag in cold water for one to two hours; every 30 minutes, replace the tepid water with new cold water. If there are tough abductor muscles still attached to the sides of your scallops, slice them off. Rinse all the scallops under cold running water to remove sand and debris, then thoroughly blot them dry with paper towels, as moisture impedes their browning nicely in the skillet.

Sauce Prep

• If you can find bottled lemongrass puree at your supermarket or a specialty food store, it's a time-saver; otherwise, wash and puree the tender white cores of a few fresh lemongrass stalks in your food processor. Mix the puree with about 1/2 cup of rice vinegar and about half as much Asian fish sauce or soy sauce. Include some minced garlic to taste and a bit of sugar to sweeten. If you want, add some lime juice or zest, coriander, curry powder or ginger to taste, too. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally, then remove it from the heat. Roll up some Thai basil leaves and slice them perpendicularly into thin ribbons and toss them into the sauce.

Searing the Scallops

• Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat for about two minutes, then coat it with cooking oil. Pat the scallops again to ensure dryness while the oil heats, then put them into the pan. Don't crowd them; sear in two batches if necessary. Don't move the scallops around while they sear, and turn them with tongs once the bottoms nicely brown, which should take about two minutes. Add a few pats of butter to the skillet after turning. As the butter melts, spoon it over the tops of the scallops. Continue searing for about another two minutes, until the second sides are browned, the scallops are fairly firm to the touch and their flesh is opaque all the way through. Plate the scallops and spoon the lemongrass and basil sauce over them.

STP-Treated Scallops

• Many scallops are chemically treated with STP, or water and sodium tripolyphosphate, to extend their shelf life and promote water retention. If your scallops are quite moist at the time of purchase, you can assume they were treated. STP imparts an off flavor. To remedy this, immerse the scallops in a quart of cold water about half an hour before cooking. Mix in about 2 tablespoons of salt and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. This brief brining effectively masks the off flavor scallops develop from STP treatment.