Parm Grits w/ Seared or Not so Seared Scallops!

40 Min; NOT budget friendly. Those scallops broke the bank.

Now I know I’m a budget friendly girl and I like to use what I have but I was really craving scallops and if I had to buy these I would have probably skipped, but my sweet momma heard me talking about it and grabbed a bag. These were wild caught, frozen and from Sam’s Club. Let’s get into it. 🙂

Grits! Polenta? I started with a polenta recipe but apparently that just means the corn is yellow and double the price. Therefore grits it is. Grab a skillet and pour in 2.5 cups of bone broth. I go through a ton of rotisserie chickens at the kitchen that I bring home and boil down to make my own stock and it’s totally worth it. Add 1 cup of milk (I used heavy cream, because cream is always better.) I omitted salt simply because the parm is salty (real parm) and my stock tends to be salty, but I did add pepper to taste. Once I brought to a simmer I reduced heat to low and added 1 cup of coarse grits. Stir stir stir. Let it do it’s thing and lets get started on the scallops!

Scallops! Don’t forget to thaw scallops, just stick them in some cold water for a bit. I removed and placed on a towel and patted dry. A couple tablespoons of non salted butter in a skillet and I worked in batches so I didn’t steam them. You need a toasty skillet but don’t burn the butter. Let cook for 2-3 minutes on each side and set aside. Work through all your scallops and I put my on a plate in the oven to keep them warm.

Grits should be done by now (20min ish). Throw in a couple tablespoons of butter and a cup or so of freshly grated parm and give a good mix. Stir up and set aside with the lid on and off the heat. Lets whip up some cream sauce while the cheese melts. In the same skillet that you cooked the scallops, throw in a minced garlic glove and sauté until fragrant, pour in a cup of cream and a tablespoon of parsley. Bring to a boil and it will thicken slightly. Now time to plate!! Enjoy!