Day Boat Scallops with Cilantro Lime Sauce

I love living at the Jersey Shore! One of the many reaons I love living here is the availability of day boat scallops. They are called day boat scallops since the boats that "fish" for the scallops return the same day instead of dredging for longer periods. What does this really mean? It means that we are able to buy extremely fresh, sweet, delicious scallops right off of the boat. Supermarket "water added" scallops are not at all the same. To quote my daughter, "they are flubbery!" Day boat scallops are perfect so many ways. I really love them pan seared. I brush the scallops lightly with vegetable oil and add to a hot grill pan. Grill for a few minutes and turn over once they are browned. They only take a few minutes per side so be careful not to overcook them. I made a cilantro lime sauce since I had the ingredients on hand. I simply sauteed a minced shallot in a little olive oil until softened, next I added 1/4 cup of white wine and a tablespoon of fresh lime juice and reduced until most of the liquid evaporated. I then whisked in a few tablespoons of butter. I finished with a handful of chopped fresh cilantro. A great thing about scallops is that they are so quick to prepare and extremely versatile!

An aside, tonight is my very last back to school night - EVER. My first daughter just went off to college :( and my younger daughter is now a senior in high school. I can't even think about this time next year... Wasn't I just sitting in a tiny chair in the kindergarten classroom on back to school night?!