People are obsessed with all things Pumpkin this time of year. I mean OBSESSED! Have you walked into Trader Joe’s lately? Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin shaped pasta, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, and even pumpkin spice hand-soap! I have to admit, I did order a pumpkin spice latte today at Starbucks and I might have already decided what i’m going to be for Halloween, so I have no room to judge…

However, if you’re needing a break for pumpkin but are still wanting to give some love to the squash family, butternut is your guy (or girl?)! Normally i’ve ever just used butternut in stews or my favorite butternut squash enchiladas, but we puréed it up for this first time and it is silky autumn delectableness.

This was a random recipe we made and it ended up being a crazy delicious combo so I wanted to share it with you guys! If you’re wanting to make something that looks fancy but is super easy and quick to cook-up, this is for you!

And If you’ve never seared scallops, YOU GOTTA MAKE IT HAPPEN. Not only are they scrumptious and perfect sea vessels, but they are surprisingly simple to make. The trick is not to flip them right away and let them get a perfect golden crust. Do it, just do it alright?

Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash Purée

Ingredients (recipe is for two people)

– 8 large scallops (about a pound)
– 4 tablespoons butter, divided
– 1 garlic clove, minced
– 1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped shallot
– 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
– 1 tablespoon capers, drained
– 1 small butternut squash
– sautéed mushrooms (optional)

What to do

1.  Preheat the oven to 350º. Peel the squash, scooping out the seeds and cutting the flesh into 1-inch cubes. On a foil-lined sheet pan, toss the squash cubes with olive oil and season with salt. Cover the squash with foil and roast until it’s tender, 50 to 60 minutes.

2. Purée the squash in a blender and then push through a fine-mesh strainer and add to a pot with a lid to keep it warm.

3. To make the scallops, Pat scallops dry, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add scallops, and sear about 2 minutes on each side. Careful not to flip until each side is golden. Transfer scallops to a plate, cover, and keep warm.

4. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and shallot; cook a few minutes or until butter begins to turn golden brown. (Be careful not to burn the garlic.) Remove skillet from heat; stir in lemon juice and capers.

5. Re-heat the butternut puree in the pot if it’s needed. Dollop the puree on a plate and slide it it with a spoon to create a base for the scallops. Place scallops down, spoon brown butter sauce over!

Enjoy!