Bay Scallops with Butternut and Basil Sauce

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook squash for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain water and mash squash. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste.
While butternut squash is cooking, prep the scallops and make the basil sauce.
Remove the small muscle on the side of the scallops, rinse well and pat dry with paper towels.
To make the sauce, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the basil leaves and boil for 30 seconds. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
Add blanched basil to a blender with 1/3 cup olive oil. Add a little more if needed to blend easily. Blend until thoroughly mixed, about 1 minute. Strain in a fine-meshed strainer. Season with a pinch of salt.
To cook scallops, heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add butter or olive oil to coat. Sear scallops on one side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and sear the other side. Season with salt.
Arrange butternut squash mash on a large platter. Place scallops around it. Add a squeeze of lemon to basil sauce and drizzle or spoon around, not on, the scallops.
Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from MVMagazine.com