Sea Scallops with Browned Butter, Capers and Lemon

In this recipe, sea scallops get the piccata treatment. Their sweet, briny flavor is perfectly matched by nutty browned butter, salty capers and puckery lemon. When shopping, look for U15 dry sea scallops—the sizing indicates there are fewer than 15 scallops per pound. “Dry” indicates that the shellfish has not been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), a preservative that forces water retention and that has a bleaching effect. In fact, bright white color is a tell-tale sign of the presence of STPP, as untreated scallops have a pale coral or ivory hue. And at the seafood counter, dry scallops should not be sitting in a pool of milky liquid. Serve with crusty bread and a leafy salad dressed with a bright vinaigrette.