Whether you pan-fry them, sear them, use in a pasta sauce, wrap them in bacon, eat them in a salad or serve them in soup, scallops are wonderful things to cook with. They are mildly sweet, delicate and delicious and when cooked correctly have a decadent texture like no other seafood.
Another bonus to scallops is that they are low in calories and packed full of healthy nutrients. A 3.5-ounce serving delivers just 70 calories, while containing high levels of protein – approximately 20g. That same serving will deliver around 17 percent of your daily iron requirement, as well as 12 percent of your recommended daily intake of calcium. Sea scallops are also high in vitamin B12, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium, while carrying low levels of folate and vitamins A, E, B6.
Popular ways to cook scallops
Scallops require quick cooking, as overcooking results in a tough, rubbery texture that’s unpleasant. Popular cooking techniques include skewering and barbecuing, grilling, searing in a skillet or blending to create a luxurious soup or chowder.
Searing
If searing, look for dry sea scallops that haven’t been soaked in a sodium solution. The solution whitens and plumps the scallops, but as you cook them and the liquid leaches out, it’s impossible to get a good sear.
Be sure that the oil or butter is hot before dropping in your scallops. The pan should not be overcrowded, as this will allow the scallops to sizzle rather than steam. Using this technique, scallops should take just three minutes each side to be nicely browned. The centre should still be slightly opalescent.
You can make a quick pan sauce once the scallops have been removed by adding a touch more butter, some finely diced shallot, a splash of dry white wine, mixed herbs (such as parsley and chives) and a teaspoon of lemon zest.
Grilling
When grilling, marinate scallops in an oil-based marinade for around 15 minutes. Drain, reserving marinade. Thread scallops on a skewer along with some fruits or vegetables (try a combination of grapefruit, orange and scallop or prawn, mushroom, capsicum, onion and scallop) and grill kebabs on a well-greased grill rack for around four minutes each side. Brush several times with reserved marinade.
Deep frying
Similar to other deep fried seafood, scallops require a batter, such as tempura. For a tempura batter, mix 1 egg, ½ cup of plain flour, ½ cup cornflour and 1 cup of icy cold soda water. To prepare a heartier batter, try combining flour, sugar, salt, egg, oil and water and mix until smooth.
Dip the scallops in the batter and using a prepared deep fryer or heavy saucepan, add scallops in batches for around two and a half minutes. The scallops should be a nice golden brown. Serve with coriander and a Japanese dipping sauce made of fish stock, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar and oil.
Using in pasta or soup
Wash and drain the scallops before sauteing quickly in a pan along with sauce or soup ingredients. For a simple chowder, sautee some mushrooms and onions in a pan until tender before creating a white sauce with flour and milk. Add ½ cup dry white wine, scallops and season to taste. Cook until thickened and serve with Swiss cheese and parsley.
Not sure which technique to try? Try this Japanese-inspired recipe for Miso-Glazed Scallops with Soba Noodles.
Miso-Glazed Scallops with Soba Noodles
The beauty of this recipe is that it is both incredibly easy and fabulously delicious. Perfect for a summer’s evening, it uses just one sauce for both the marinade and pan sauce, and paired with a simple green salad and citrus vinaigrette, it’s nothing short of spectacular.
Ingredients
8 ounces soba noodles
500g dry sea scallops, tough muscle removed
3 tbsp white miso
2 tbsp mirin (a low-alcohol rice wine)
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced spring onion
Method
- Add noodles to a large pot of boiling water and cook until just tender, approximately 6-8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- While noodles cook, whisk miso, vinegar, canola oil, ginger and garlic in a medium bowl. Add scallops and marinate for 5 minutes, ensuring all scallops are covered. Don’t leave longer than five minutes or the scallops will begin to break down.
- Drain scallops, reserving marinade.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot enough, add scallops and cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm by covering with foil.
- Add reserved marinade to pan and brown off for about one minute. Pour sauce over noodles, toss through spring onions and top with scallops. Serve immediately.
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