Remove the side muscles from the scallops, if needed. Pat them dry with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper and paprika.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add sage leaves and fry until crispy, about 10-15 seconds. Transfer using tongs to a plate layered with paper towel.

Add butter, stir until melted. Place the scallops in the skillet in a single layer. The first scallop should sizzle, if it doesn't, wait a few seconds to let the skillet heat before adding the rest of the scallops. Sear the scallops undisturbed for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the scallops over. Cook on the other side undisturbed for 1 minute more. The scallops should feel firm to the touch, but still slightly soft. Do not overcook the scallops, they will become tough and chewy. Remove from skillet.

Reduce heat to low, add garlic and shallot, cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Add white wine, stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve the brown bits on the bottom of the skillet, simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in cream and bring to a boil, let simmer over low heat for 2 minutes.

Add Parmesan, stir until combined. Simmer for 1 minute. Add scallops and simmer for 30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt.

Serve topped with pistachios, crispy sage, red pepper flakes and some extra black pepper. Enjoy!