Lemon Pepper Scallops

These are not your store-bought lemon-pepper flavor, but a rich melange of fresh lemon, butter, garlic and honey, kicked up by slightly piquant melange of red Fresno pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper. Mixing small amounts of different peppers really brings out the aromatic side of pepper, while managing the bite. A garnish of cilantro brings a fresh finishing note.

And, by the way, yes, these are soft! But I'm over a week after surgery so I think I'm gonna have a nice juicy steak tonight!

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup white wine

1 tsp honey

1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb bay scallops

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 red Fresno pepper, minced

Dried red chili flakes, to taste

Dash freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp butter

Cilantro, minced, for garnish

Dissolve the honey in the lemon juice and wine. Melt the butter in the oil in a skillet.

Add the scallops and the next five ingredients to the skillet over high heat and cook, stirring, for one minutes. Add the liquids and cook them down for about another 1-2 minutes, only enough to boil out the alcohol from the wine.

Stir in the last pad of butter to melt. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges. OK for the rest of us - serve with favorite hot sauce.

Serves 2-3.

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