Panko- & Parmesan-Crusted Baked Scallops

These easy baked scallops have a delightful balance of crunchy, golden-brown topping and tender, sweet scallops. They feel decadent like scallops should, thanks to the tasty lemon-butter sauce. Look for uniform scallops; if they’re particularly large, you might need to bake them for more than 10 minutes. Source: EatingWell.com

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
• 1 pound large dry sea scallops (about 16 scallops; see Tip)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
• ½ cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil. Pat scallops dry; arrange in a single layer in the dish. Sprinkle the scallops evenly with salt and pepper.
• Step 2 Whisk melted butter, lemon juice and shallot in a small bowl; pour over the scallops.
• Step 3 In the same bowl, combine panko, Parmesan, parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the scallops.
• Step 4 Bake until the scallops are opaque and the topping is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Tips

Tip: We prefer “dry” sea scallops because they aren’t treated with STP (sodium tripolyphosphate). The untreated scallops are more flavorful and have a better texture.