Braised Scallops, Poached Scallops

The advantage to braising scallops is that you can concentrate the sea-fragrant liquid they release and turn it into a sauce. The disadvantage, when compared with sautéing, is that the scallops won’t have a savory brown crust. You can concentrate the braising liquid for the scallops—which can be fish broth, vegetable broth, white wine, or various combinations of all three—and finish it with cream and/or butter. Varying degrees of reduction and amounts of cream or butter will make the sauce thick or thin. If you are serving a thin sauce, serve the scallops in soup plates.