Table of Contents Show
Sea scallops belong to the mollusks of the Pectinidae species. The product is an integral part of French cuisine, possessing soft and tender meat that you can cook in various ways. Professional chefs around the world add scallops to salads, snacks, and independent dishes.
Many food experts consider the product a delicacy due to the complexity of extraction and transportation.
What are scallops?
The sea dweller was popular back in the days of the Roman Empire. Even then, people knew and appreciated the beneficial qualities of the scallop. They used meat for food and the shell as an independent decoration. In its appearance, the comb resembles a fan-shaped plate.
On the shell, you can see small growths in the form of spikes and scales. The color scheme is different and depends on the habitat. The scallop has tender pink meat that you can cook or eat raw.
How many scallops are in an entree?
There are more than 250 species of mollusks in nature. But the most popular are the following:
- Icelandic. The most popular species in the fishing industry. It has a large size and a high-weight shell. Sailors mine this species in the waters of the Arctic and the North Atlantic.
- Marine. It lives in the waters of the Sea of Japan. Both parts of the shell differ from each other: the lower one is more convex, the upper one, on the contrary, is concave.
- The Black Sea. The average length of the shell is 8 cm. The color varies from white to red-brown. Despite the delicious meat, this species does not have commercial value due to its insignificant size.
The difference between a scallop and a mussel
Even though the scallop, like the mussel, belongs to bivalve mollusks, both representatives live exclusively in marine waters and are widely used in cooking, they have several differences:
- Appearance. If you look at the scallop shell, you will see a characteristic indentation closer to the back. Due to this, there is a similarity with a means for combing hair. In the case of a mussel, the back has an absolutely smooth surface.
- Regardless of the danger, the mussel is always in an attached state, and the scallop can swim away, albeit for short distances.
- The scallop has a fan-shaped shell shape with rough growths, the mussel has an oblong shape and has no appendages.
- Due to the presence of photosensitive beads, the scallop, unlike the mussel, can react to the shadow.
- Experts consider mussels to be an everyday food item, and scallops belong to delicacies.
Do scallops need to be rinsed?
Scallops are a marine product. The shell can be a carrier of many pathogenic bacteria and metal compounds. You should definitely wash the scallops before cooking. Do this only in cold water so that they do not become soft.
Washing will help remove sand, dirt, and other waste. Perform cleaning in two stages: first, rinse the product with a sink, and then without it.
Do you wash scallops before grilling?
You should rinse the scallops well before placing them on the grill. However, it should be borne in mind that you only need to wash the sink. You can’t put wet food on the grill, so dry the scallops with a paper towel.
For the cleaning to take place comprehensively, place the marine inhabitant in a deep bowl with water. Rinse the scallops with your hands and change the water several times.
What oil is best for searing scallops?
The choice of oil is a significant step in the preparation of scallops. Professional chefs advise choosing butter. It is greasier and will better reveal the taste of the product. You can also use high-quality olive oil.
However, it is worth avoiding the use of vegetable oil. When frying, it releases a lot of toxic substances and pungent odors that will worsen the quality of the product.
Are scallops that hard to cook?
Some secrets will help you cook scallops easily:
- Defrost the product at room temperature.
- Open the shells with special scissors or forceps.
- Add soy sauce and herbs of Provence to the scallops.
- Marinate the scallops in the sauce for at least one hour.
- Add a piece of butter to the pan, it will help to reveal the taste of the scallop.
- Fry each side of the scallop for 3 minutes, until a brown-golden crust appears.
- Serve the clams with finely chopped green onions or parsley.
How many scallops should you eat?
In some cases, scallops can be dangerous to your health. In hyperthyroidism, the iodine contained in the product causes an increase in the production of thyroid hormones, leading to a thyrotoxic crisis.
Individual intolerance to scallop meat is a contraindication to their use. They can cause severe allergic reactions, up to anaphylactic shock. People with elevated levels of phosphorus in the blood also cannot eat scallops regularly.
To prevent scallops from harming your body, use them no more than twice a week.
Best grilled scallops marinade
The marinade helps to make the scallop more tender and juicy. To prepare a high-quality filling, use orange zest. This fruit contains ascorbic acid, which helps to break down the meat fibers of the product.
You can also prepare a classic marinade using a mixture of olive oil, curry, salt, and pepper. Marinate the peeled scallops in the prepared mixture and leave for 10-15 minutes.
How to grill scallops on the gas grill
The recipe for grilled scallops is easy to make. To cook a scallop on the grill, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- scallop (scallop) — 500 g
- cherry tomatoes – 10 pcs
- Bulgarian pepper – 1/2 pcs
- mushrooms – 8 pcs
- soy sauce – 2 tbsp
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Pour soy sauce over the scallops and let them soak for 5-10 minutes.
- Wash tomatoes and mushrooms, cut pepper into squares.
- Make scallop skewers by putting scallops, peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes on a skewer.
- Preheat the grill grates, place the product there. The cooking time is 10 minutes.
The scallops turn out to be juicy and tender, and the grill will also leave grill marks on them. It will give the dish a more attractive appearance.
Best way to grill scallops
Sweet taste of shellfish goes well with most vegetables. This scallop recipe is a good solution for a festive feast. To prepare this dish, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- scallops
- bell pepper
- onion
- olive oil
- spinach
- celery
- tomatoes
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Wash the bell pepper, remove the seeds and stalks, chop coarsely.
- Finely chop the onion.
- Wash the tomatoes and cut them into small cubes.
- Wash the spinach and celery and also finely chop.
- Fry the vegetables in vegetable oil until half cooked.
- Take the frozen scallops and defrost them at room temperature.
- Simmer the sea product with vegetables over medium-high heat for no more than 15 minutes.
How does Gordon Ramsay grill scallops?
Seafood recipes often allow the use of various marinades. The famous chef Gordon Ramsay came up with an excellent recipe for grilling scallops using a marinade. To repeat this recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- scallops (frozen) – 370-400 g
- sesame (light) – 20-25 g
- olive oil – 1.5-2 tbsp
- lemon – 1 pc
- salt and spices
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Add salt and selected spices to the thawed scallops in a large bowl.
- Pour oil over the ingredients and mix them with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Fry the sesame seeds in a frying pan without oil until golden brown.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the scallops on the grill.
- Make the sauce: mix lemon juice and lemon wedges with the remaining marinade.
This sauce will additionally saturate the product with vitamin C and make it even more beneficial. As a variant for side dishes, you can fry potatoes with kosher salt, red chili flakes, clove garlic, salt, and pepper.
How to grill scallops in foil
You can cook bay scallops in foil. To do this, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- scallop – 20 pieces
- potatoes – 4 pieces
- langoustine – 8 pieces
- dried basil
- olive oil
- bay leaf
- microgreens
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Make a square with small sides from two layers of foil.
- Cut the potatoes into thin circles without peeling and put them on the bottom of the foil.
- Spread the scallops and langoustines on top, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with basil, bay leaf, and drizzle with olive oil.
- Prep time – 20 minutes. Decorate the dish with micro greenery and serve directly in foil.
Grilled scallops with butter recipe
You can also cook scallops in a creamy sauce. Prepare the necessary ingredients:
- scallop – 1 kg
- garlic cloves – 8 pieces
- paprika – 1 tablespoon
- dried basil – 1 tablespoon
- butter – 150 grams
- ground black pepper
- sugar
- lemon zest
- salt
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Finely chop the garlic and mash it.
- Grate the lemon zest on a fine grater.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan.
- Add garlic to the melted butter.
- Add the zest to the garlic.
- When the oil darkens, remove it from the heat.
- Pour the marinade into the scallops.
- Add salt and seasonings to the marinade. Leave it on for 15 minutes.
- Place the scallops on the skewers.
- Fry the product on the grill for 5 minutes per side. The total time for cooking is 10 minutes.
What goes best with scallops?
Scallops can act both as an independent dish and as a course appetizer. The product goes well with cabbage – colored or white. Stewed vegetables, potatoes, or fresh herbs will also be a good combination.
It is best to choose parsley and green onions – they are best suited to seafood. Give up side dishes of bread, flour, pasta, and rice. These are crude combinations that will spoil the refined taste of the delicacy.
Seasonings
Scallops are seafood that you can cook with many different spices and seasonings. Squid, shrimp, octopus, and scallops have a mild, neutral taste. You should open it with nutmeg, white pepper, bay leaf, chili, and curry.
You can also add spicy herbs – basil, oregano, thyme. The main task is not to block the taste of seafood, but to reveal it from the best side. Also, many professional chefs recommend adding lemon juice or lemon zest to scallops.
Storage rules
When storing purchased frozen scallops (or fresh scallops), store them in the refrigerator if you are going to cook and eat them for 2 days. You can store properly frozen scallops for 3-4 days.
To further extend the shelf life of the product, freeze the seafood in sealed bags or wrap it tightly with foil. An alternative replacement for foil or a sealed bag will be a dense plastic bag.
Summary
Scallops are a famous delicacy in all countries of the world. The product has a soft texture and delicate taste. You can use scallops to prepare a variety of options for dishes – from snacks to independent dishes.
Professional chefs advise grilling scallops. So the product becomes juicier and acquires a brighter taste. As seasonings, choose spices that will enhance the neutral taste of seafood. The main thing is not to block the unique taste of the product.
If your scallops are tough, prepare a marinade of orange juice or soy sauce. This filling will soften the meat fibers of the product and make it more tender. Choose the most convenient recipe and experiment with cooking scallops!