How To Cook Scallops
Scallops – what a delight! The big sea scallops are the ones I like best. They are a bit of an indulgence, but if I see them on sale at the fish mongers, I buy them. These sweet and juicy bivalves are fantastic sautéed in just a bit of butter, but can be cooked in oh so many ways. I remember as a kid having the small bay scallops for dinner. I am not sure if my mother actually knew how to cook them or not, but the word that comes to mind when I was eating them always seemed to be – BOING! They were a little chewy. And the lake of buttery water that came with them seemed not quite right
It always seemed to me, as it still does, that the bay scallops are more appropriate for a chowder or a pasta dish rivalling linguini and clams. The bay scallops were either the only type of scallop that the fish section of the grocery had or the sea scallops were too expensive. This is the reason we ate more more bay scallops and not sea scallops. I admit I have become a bit of a scallop snob, I like the sea scallops and see them as the real eating. The other thing I like about scallops is that they are sustainable. There is a bunch of tom foolery in the food industry ranging from the unproven health benefits of organic to the mis-information about GMO, but sustainable is the real deal. It is an ideal more people should get behind.
When considering how to cook scallops, there are a variety of methods. All of the methods are easy and scallops really don’t take more than a few minutes to cook. Put some scallops atop of a tasty grain and serve a salad and you have a great meal.
Here are a few simple ways to cook scallops…
Seared/Pan Roasted Scallops: If the tough little side muscles are still attached to the scallops, remove them. Pat the scallops dry. Season with salt and pepper. In a small pan, heat oil, butter, or a mixture of both (1:1 ratio) over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, place the scallops in the pan and sear them until they are golden brown. After about 2.5 minutes, flip the scallops. Cook another 2.5 minutes. They are done when the inside is milky white and the flesh is firm.
Grilled Scallops: If the tough little side muscles are still attached to the scallops, remove them. Pat the scallops dry. Skewer the scallops on metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been adequately soaked in water to avoid burning. Season with salt and pepper or even some lemon pepper. In a small pot, melt some butter. Set up a hot grill or a grill pan over medium heat. If using a grill, clean and oil the grate. Lightly oil the grill pan. Place the skewers on the grill. After about 2.5 minutes, flip the scallops. Cook another 2.5 minutes. They are done when the inside is milky white and the flesh is firm. Remove the scallops from the grill and baste them with melted butter. Serve hot.
Fried Scallops: To fry scallops, take a page out of cooking a
schnitzel If the tough little side muscles are still attached to the scallops, remove them. Pat the scallops dry. Set up a dredging station – 1 bowl flour, 1 bowl, beaten egg, one bowl seasoned bread crumbs (you can season them a lot of ways – salt and pepper, lemon pepper, a little garlic salt fresh herbs, etc)). Dredge the scallops in flour brushing off any excess, then dredge the scallops in the beaten egg allowing any excess egg to drip off, then dredge the scallops into the bread crumbs (try panko!) Deep fry the scallops in vegetable oil at 350F for 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown and the inside is milky white and the flesh is firm. Fried scallops are lovely with a nice tartar sauce or cocktail sauce!
Broiled Scallops If you can grill scallops, you can also
broil them Do everything you would do get them ready for grilling seasoning them with only salt. Turn on the broiler to high or just on if there are no settings. Skewer the scallops and place the skewers on the broiling pan (line with with foil so there is no clean up) about 4-6 inches from the heat source. Cook until the inside is milky white and the flesh is firm. Brush with some melted butter or drizzle some lemon vinaigrette over the scallops.
Poached Scallops Poaching scallops is easy. Bring a mixture of milk and water (or fish stock) (Ratio 1:5) to a gentle simmer. Add a squeeze of lemon, salt and a few whole peppercorns. When the liquid is barely bubbling, add the scallops and cook them slowly until the inside is milky white and the flesh is firm.
I hope you enjoy!
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What is your favorite way to cook scallops? Have any tips to share? Let us know all about it in the comments or on Facebook.
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