Scallops, I need help please.

[Kayelle]

At one time, I hated scallops, (thought they tasted like soap). Lately I think they could be ok after eating them in restaurants. The SousChef has always liked them, and he came home from the store with a frozen bag of very expensive large scallops. We knew fresh would be better, but that's what we have at the moment. For example, I've seen pictures here at the dinner thread, of Cheryl's gorgeous seared scallops and wondered about the secrets.
I looked at recipes for Coquille Saint Jacques but despite SC's encouragement, that's not what I had in mind for my first attempt at Scallops.
Help!

 

[Katie H]

Yum! I love scallops.

My first thought was Coquilles St. Jacques, which is awesomely delicious. I have a recipe for Coquilles St. Jacques crepes. Too good! You might try something like that.

At the moment, I can't think of anything else, but seared is always good.

 

[GotGarlic]

I'm not quite sure what kind of help you're asking for, Kay But here goes.

I love love love seared scallops with lemony aioli (read: mayo with lemon zest and juice, salt and a tiny bit of sugar). I also like to serve them with risotto.

Once the scallops are thawed, dry them well with paper towels. A dry surface is the key to good browning.

Salt them generously, heat a pan over high heat and melt butter in the pan. Place the scallops in the pan and cook till well browned, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook the second side for about two minutes. Serve immediately with aioli for dipping.

 

[Dawgluver]

I sear mine in a CI pan. Bit of butter. They have a bit of chew, like a good steak. Like GG said, make sure they're dry.

The best Coquilles St. Jacques I've ever had was when my sister and I went to Oahu, many eons ago. They were served in little scallop shells. Absolutely delicious.

 

[Cheryl J]

As mentioned, the key to a good sear is getting those babies as dry as possible. I usually buy 4 or 5 or so for a meal for me depending on how big they are (they're already thawed when I buy them), wrap them in several layers of paper towels and let them sit on a plate in the fridge for several hours -overnight is even better, especially since they're frozen.

I like them simply done, which for me means lightly seasoned before cooking with a little kosher salt and cracked pepper, and finished at the table with fresh lemon juice. I use my cast iron pan, get it pretty hot, coat the bottom with a little oil and butter, and watch them carefully - as mentioned, it'll only take a couple of minutes per side in the hot pan. Once they start getting a nice sear, you can lift them a little with your spatula to check how they're doing, they'll release easy when they're getting browned.

The lemon aioli sauce sounds really good, I'll need to try that next time. I also have always wanted to try Coquilles St. Jacques. But for just me for one meal, I keep it simple. Love them with asparagus.

Can't wait to hear how this dinner is, Kay! I hope you love them, however you decide to season and serve them.

 

[Dawgluver]

Cheryl, GG, Katie and I are heading over to Kayelle's for scallops...

Hope you bought enough!

 

[Kayelle]

I sooo appreciate all the good advice for this novice with scallops. There's nothing like first hand advice from people you trust.

 

[karen20]

Try just frying them, both sides, then just pour simple soy sauce, delicious. Or with bacon and put I salad. Trick is not to over do or under cook. More you cook the better at judging. I put them in my fish pie, or stir fry. They shouldn't taste like soup!

 

[CraigC]

Try just frying them, both sides, then just pour simple soy sauce, delicious. Or with bacon and put I salad. Trick is not to over do or under cook. More you cook the better at judging. I put them in my fish pie, or stir fry. They shouldn't taste like soup!

IMO, soy sauce or bacon would mask the delicate flavor of the scallops. I would never use diver or sea scallops in a dish like Coquilles St. Jacques, bay scallops would be just fine and less expensive.

 

[BigAL]

What ever you do, DO NOT forget to tell us how it goes! I've never bought diver scallops, only bay(funny how they are not around w. KS ) .

I'm eating vicariously through you Kay! And I'm hungry!

 

[karen20]

IMO, soy sauce or bacon would mask the delicate flavor of the scallops. I would never use diver or sea scallops in a dish like Coquilles St. Jacques, bay scallops would be just fine and less expensive.

Nope if done right, experiment with them. I'm in England and can pick them up from the market cheap enough. Love scallops, I never had their flavour masked as what's the point of buying them if that happens. Actually found your comment weird as bacon and scallops is a classic dish, over here they do it with black pudding, I don't like it bit if you know cooking then it doesn't over power

 

[CraigC]

Nope if done right, experiment with them. I'm in England and can pick them up from the market cheap enough. Love scallops, I never had their flavour masked as what's the point of buying them if that happens. Actually found your comment weird as bacon and scallops is a classic dish, over here they do it with black pudding, I don't like it bit if you know cooking then it doesn't over power

That is why I put IMO. To me It seems that folks who wrap things in bacon, really don't like the flavor of what is being wrapped, especially seafood. Bacon wrapping has its place, like ABTs and fatties. These are items that are cooked low and slow in a smoker.

 

[Silversage]

Kayelle,

If you try to sear a dark crust on both sides, you will likely overcook them. Sear the first side till it's beautifully GBD, then flip them just long enough to barely cook them through. Serve with the GBD side up.

Best thing to cook them in is butter, not oil, for the delicate flavor. Keep basting with the sizzling butter while they are cooking. Helps brown the top/bottom. Take them out of the pan a minute before you think they're done.

Depending on your source, the scallop can but a bit salty, so use salt lightly until you know what you have.

Like others said, dry them thoroughly before cooking. Letting them sit on a paper towel will wick out excess moisture. If you don't get them dry, they won't brown.

Although it used to be common to wrap them in bacon, you rarely see that anymore. It was a way to mask the chemical flavor of inferior 'wet pack ' scallops, and unnecessary with good dry pack ones. One restaurant near me even serves them with blue cheese and bacon! I tried them once. Never noticed the scallop flavor buried under those other strong flavors.

After you remove them from the pan, add a splash of white wine and a squirt of lemon to the skillet and reduce it to just a couple tablespoons of rich sauce to serve over them if you wish. While they are resting, they will give off some juice to be added back to the pan sauce.

And the biggest rule of all, if in doubt, err on the side of undercooking, rather than overcooking. Really fresh scallops are delicious raw, so cooking less still gives a nice result. Overcooking leaves you with rubbery little pucks - not nice. Even more than meat, they give up moisture and shrink as you cook them. If you overcook them, they will shrink a lot.

 

[Bigjim68]

Dry pack scallops

I think it's extremely important when purchasing scallops to only purchase dry pack. Wet pack are soaked in a chemical bath to add water weight and increase shelf life. I've never had any success attempting to sear wet pack and no longer buy them.

 

[karen20]

IMO, soy sauce or bacon would mask the delicate flavor of the scallops. I would never use diver or sea scallops in a dish like Coquilles St. Jacques, bay scallops would be just fine and less expensive.

Must admit British bacon slightly differs from American. I don't like food wrapped in bacon, just chop and slightly sprinkle over. Lover seafood as kids used to go to seaside and eat the crabs, prawns, cockles, winkles cooked in an oil drum, just as they were.

 

[Addie]

I think it's extremely important when purchasing scallops to only purchase dry pack. Wet pack are soaked in a chemical bath to add water weight and increase shelf life. I've never had any success attempting to sear wet pack and no longer buy them.

Unfortunately, the further inland toward the Prarie States you travel, the less likely you are to find dry scallops.

 

[CraigC]

Unfortunately, the further inland toward the Prarie States you travel, the less likely you are to find dry scallops.

They are an overnight, Fed Ex shipment away!

 

[Addie]

They are an overnight, Fed Ex shipment away!

And unless you get free shipping, the cost goes way up.

 

[GotGarlic]

Unfortunately, the further inland toward the Prarie States you travel, the less likely you are to find dry scallops.

The frozen ones can be shipped anywhere, so good grocery or specialty stores would have them.

 

[Kayelle]

TSM, I learned a lot and here's what I posted at tonight's dinner thread.

Nope..this was an outstanding dinner day. Turf and Surf.
Bacon wrapped filet Mignon with seared scallops. Thanks to the wonderful advice recently on scallops I requested, they turned out great!..barely opaque, and tender after I cooked the beef filet. After removing the beef, I added a bit of wine to deglaze and simmer to nothing, and then added a bit of butter to the pan for the scallops. They seared beautifully.and it was an outstanding meal with roasted asparagus, and garlic toast for the SC.

Sorry, no pictures but it was deeeeelicious.