Dry scallops are always expensive but worth it if they’re within your budget. I always get dsappointing results with “wet” scallops and have stopped trying to cook them.
Scallops are actually really easy to cook, the trick is to not overcook them. An overcooked scallop is a sad, stringy thing.
If you’re pan-frying, the advice here about bringing them to room temp, patting them dry, and getting your pan and butter sufficiently hot is critical. You want to get a good sear and not overcook them. Even the big ones cook pretty quickly.
A nice thing about cooking scallops is that their relatively straight sides give you a clear view of whether they’re cooked through. After the first minute or so, take a look at them from the side—as they cook, the flesh closest to the heat will lose its translucence. I flip a scallop when it’s just short of halfway cooked through. The second side will cook through a little faster. You should only have to flip the scallops once.
I take them off the heat when there’s still a thin line of translucence in the center. The minute or two it takes to plate everything gives the residual heat time to finish the cooking. If your preparation requires you to keep them warm for a while so you can do a quick sauce or whatever, it’s especially important not to overcook them in the pan.
There are some traditional homestyle seafood dishes here in New England where fish or shellfish are broiled in a sauce of some sort, then usually finished off with some buttery crumbs. A less refined version of the Coquilles St. Jacques that Pufin mentions. They’re tasty but I think harken back to a time when seafood was plentiful and inexpensive.
