When you have quality scallops, the key is “K.I.S.S.”. As seen here, they are seasoned simply with salt and pepper and given a quick sear in a smoking hot pan for about two minutes on each side. I was really hoping for a deeper sear, but too much liquid accumulated in the pan. Served over risotto, which you can never go wrong with. Hope everyone is having a great Labor Day Weekend!
The Hungry Historian 
Hi Greg, I have a probably silly question: what other cooked seafood do properly prepared scallops resemble in taste, texture, etc.? Believe it or not, my wife and I are both ‘full grownup adults’ but neither of us have ever eaten scallops yet…..and we’d like to know what to expect if I eagerly cook them per your recipe or maybe order them in a restaurant. She’s not as adventurous an eater as I am at trying new things but once she finds a food or style of preparation she likes, then it’s one of her new favorites. Our level of gourmet knowledge/sophistication ranges past McDonald’s Filet of Fish sandwich at the low end, passes happily through Keyport Fishery & Bonefish Grill too; and stops far far short of Nicolas. 😂. Would appreciate any guidance or suggestions ….. I always enjoy subscribing to and reading your blog — thanks for sharing. You should be on TV or radio!
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Hi MB, first off thank you very much for the kind words and for your readership. I have a good friend who is very much into cooking like me and eats every kind of seafood EXCEPT scallops because she does not like the texture. So to hear that you have never eaten scallops is not a huge surprise because they are not for everyone (like many kinds of fish/seafood). What you can except: if properly cooked, the texture will be firm but should easily be cut with a fork (or even a spoon). For a comparison, it is kind of like crab and lobster meat but more buttery in the way it breaks down. For flavor, expect slightly sweet and briny. They are not supposed to be fishy. They can be the most tender of all shellfish if done properly. For your first time trying them, I would recommend a restaurant that you trust for the simple reason that if you don’t properly drain and pat them dry, the liquid will accumulate and prevent a sear. Sometimes scallops hold water even with proper preparation (such as my picture here, with the sear not being as deep as I wanted). If you do want to be adventurous and cook them yourself, start with fresh sea scallops. They are larger and more forgiving. Also milder on the taste. Bay scallops are smaller, harder to sear, and can be fishy (but are good for broiling in butter and serving over pasta, for example). Also, frozen can be hit or miss. I have gotten frozen medium sized sea scallops from Lidl three times: twice they were excellent, once they were horrendously fishy. I think there is something in the freezing process which causes this, because I have never had a problem with fresh from Shop Rite. Hope this helps! 😀
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Thanks very much….that was just the sort of info. I was seeking! Will let you know how our future foray into scallops (our kitchen and/or an eatery) turns out. Much appreciated 🍽 🥣 😀
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No problem! Keep us posted!
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