Browned Butter Soy Sauce Scallops

This easy entre comes together with minimal effort from just a few ingredients, and yet it has an insane amount of flavor; that's probably why it's on regular rotation in our household. The best part, though, is that the scallops and browned butter can be paired with various carbs to transform them into a different dish.  Tossed with farfalle, it becomes a pasta dish; served over a bowl of rice, it turns into a donburi; and placed on a bed of creamy Aligot, and it becomes a little fancier.

The key is to use high-quality "dry" scallops that are as large as possible. Most scallops you see in the supermarket have been treated with phosphates to make them retain more water. Since scallops are often sold by weight, this makes them more profitable, but it also adds off-flavors and gives them a mushy texture. The term "dry" means the scallops have not been treated with chemicals. As for why you want to use large scallops: the larger the scallop, the less likely you are to overcook them before they get a nice browned crust on both sides.