My Kids Are Food Snobs – Seared Scallops with Lemon, Capers, and Butter

When my children, Ariana and Jacob, were eight and ten years old we frequented a small Italian restaurant in town for the year or two it was open. It was by no means a fancy establishment, but they served solid food and had a pasta night and a chicken night that were a deal for a family of four. It was the perfect excuse to take an evening off from cooking, especially in the middle of a busy week.

There were two particularly memorable things about our visits to this restaurant, in addition to the tasty weeknight specials. One was the barber from the shop across the street who used to be the main host seating people for dinner. He may have been one of the owners. My kids found this hilarious, and my wife and I thought it a little odd. The other was my daughter Ariana who pretended to be a restaurant critic whenever we ate there.

Her commentary started the moment we walked in the door and continued throughout the entire meal. As we were waiting for our food, she would note the quality of the bread or the richness of the olive oil on the table. God forbid if we had to wait too long to order or for our dinner to arrive. The salads were critiqued for their freshness and presentation. The sauces on the pasta were evaluated for their flavor, richness, and quantity, the chicken for its tenderness and juiciness. The attentiveness of the staff did not escape her scrutiny, especially the barber, and the restaurant always received extra points when the bill came because it was such a deal. If you know Ariana you are aware that her criticism can be brutal, although to her credit, she is usually right on the mark. Luckily, she kept the negative comments, on the rare occasions when they arose, to those at the table and did not publish her critique too loudly.

Thinking back on Ariana’s stint as a restaurant critic, I realize my kids are food snobs. I don’t mean this in a negative way. As a matter of fact, I am quite proud that they care about food in the way they do. It’s not that they eat in particularly fancy restaurants on a regular basis or are at the pinnacle of the latest foodie trends, but they search out the foods they like, avoid those of lower quality, try new dishes from around the world, and really enjoy eating. It is an important part of their lives.

I would like to think my cooking was the motivation behind their enjoyment of a good meal, although that may be going too far. However, I certainly didn’t discourage their food snobbery growing up. It was not limited to Ariana’s food critic phase; we always discussed – in a constructive way – the meals I served, as well as any other food we ate. I learned what they liked and didn’t like, and we always encouraged them to explore new tastes.

Both of my children have become excellent cooks, preparing delicious meals from a wide variety of cultures. They enjoy eating at restaurants, whether a formal, fancy meal or unpretentious, inexpensive street food around New York City where they both now live. And they always appreciate it when I cook for them. In fact, whenever I cook, they both still act as restaurant critics, providing serious – but friendly – criticism of whatever I prepare.

Seared Scallops with Lemon, Capers, and Butter

Ariana and Jacob would never have given these sea scallops high marks; it’s not food they would eat when they were children. These days their palates have expanded, and this dish might make the grade. They would certainly comment on its savoriness and balance between the rich butter, acidic lemon and wine, and sweet scallops. And Ariana – who could never get enough briny olives as a kid – would love the salty pop of the capers.

It’s simple and quick to prepare, as long as you get dry, rather than wet, sea scallops. It is essential for you to ask your fishmonger. Wet scallops are treated with a chemical that causes them to hold moisture, which is released during cooking, getting in the way of the brown, crusty sear that makes them so tasty.

serves 2, about 15 minutes

8 dry sea scallops

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. avocado oil (or other high smoke point oil)

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. capers, drained

juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)

2 Tbsp. dry white wine

chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

1. Remove side muscle from scallops if present and blot them dry with a paper towel. If they are moist, they will not sear. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the scallops.
2. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet large enough to hold the scallops over medium-high heat and add the oil. As the first wisps of smoke begin to rise from the pan, add the scallops. The key to getting a good crusty sear is to leave the scallops alone for at least 2 minutes untouched. Do not move them, poke them, or prod them. Just leave them.
3. After 2 to 3 minutes, if they look seared and release from the pan, flip the scallops and sear the other side without moving for another 2 or 3 minutes or so.
4. Butter baste the scallops. Add butter to the side of the pan closest to you. Gently tilting the pan with the bottom towards you, spoon melted butter over the scallops for about 30 seconds. Flip them and add the capers, lemon juice, and white wine and continue to baste the scallops for another half a minute.
5. Place the scallops on plates and spoon capers and any remaining sauce over them. Serve hot with parsley as a garnish if you desire.

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