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How to Cook Scallops?
I love scallops, I would cook and make them every day if they are not so expensive. They are one of the best ingredients from the sea.
There are many ways to make scallops:
- Sauteed scallops.
- Baked scallops
- Grilled scallops
- In a pasta such as creamy scallops pasta
- In a stew such as seafood stew
Other Scallop Recipes You Might Like
Sauteed Scallops
One of the best scallop recipes are sauteed scallops on the stove using a skillet. I love cast-iron skillet for a simple saute recipe. All you need are some olive oil, melted butter and minced garlic.
The garlic sauce calls for white wine, salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper. It’s really that easy!
Dry Scallops (natural) Vs. Wet Scallops (soaked)
There are two kinds of scallops available in the market:
Natural/untreated (Dry) and treated/soaked with water (Wet). When it comes to scallops, you want to get dry, natural and untreated sea scallops.
Dry scallops are milky and creamy white in color, sometimes with a slight pale yellow or pink tint. They are soft to the touch and the surface does not feel slippery. The flesh smells of the sea, and they are absolutely briny, sweet, and delightful. They are expensive.
Wet scallops are treated with water and phosphates. They are are less expensive but trust me, you don’t want to get those. They are smooth and slippery to the touch, translucent, and when rinsed with water, the water bubbles up.
Those are the clear indications that they are not natural but treated. Avoid them because they taste nothing like the natural and “real” scallops. In fact, they are bland with no sweet or briny flavors after cooking.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This scallop recipe is only 236 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
This meal is best served with a pasta or as a main dish. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Garlic Scallops
Ingredients
- 1 lb. natural and untreated scallops
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 dashes ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley leaves
Instructions
- Rinse the scallops with cold water and remove the tough ligament from the side of the scallops. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat up a skillet (cast-iron preferred) on medium to high heat. When it's fully heated, add the olive oil and butter. Saute the garlic for a little bit and add the scallops, pan-sear until both surfaces turn brown. Add the white wine, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.
- Bring it to a light simmer, or until the inside of the scallops are cooked through. Turn off heat and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
What do you do with the parsley? Although it appears in the photos, I didn’t see it mentioned anywhere. Is it supposed to be cooked? For how long? With the scallops still in the pan or after they are removed?
They are not required just there on photos for photography purposes.