Besides the length of cooking time seeming off I find that 12 roughly chopped tomatillos equals about 3 cups, not 1. Additionally, how can 12 scallops possibly feed 4-6 people as listed in the recipe?
For those of us who are not in a position to dive for our own scallops, Costco carries frozen scallops with no preservatives which we always keep on hand.
The salsa was great, fresh and tasted like summer on a plate and the sweetness of the seared scallops was the perfect foil to the mild heat of the peppers.
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Pick your own bays scallops ! dive for them,the water is chest high at high tide.they lie on the bottom. about the size of
marbles in a black shell ,they are very tasty. try goose bay
in southhold north fork L. I.
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Fresher is better, it is that simple for most seafood. Getting scallops right off the boat (or diving for them yourself) makes all the difference.
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In restaurants, scallops are one of my top five favorite foods. Have attempted to prepare scallops MANY times -- always came out inedible! Will give them one more try your way (will have to pan-fry). The corn/pepper/tomatillo salsa sounds delicious, but will use serrano peppers :)
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@Cadence. Key is to make sure the scallops are as dry as possible. I place scallops on a couple of sheets of paper towel, cover with additional sheets of paper towel and the sheet of wax paper, and place in fridge until ready to sauté. Second step is a hot cast iron skilled. Voila!
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@Cadence
I suspect that is because most scallops available in stores have been brined (which means they absorb a lot of moisture that increases their weight--and you by them by weight, of course--but that extra weight will all be lost when the water evaporates cooking--which also makes it impossible to brown them properly). I no longer live there, so I'm not sure, but I think that in the US they still have to label them as wet (brined) or dry. The dry ones are the ones you know from better restaurants.
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I thought all scallops are sea scallops.
Sea scallops are up to three times larger in size than bay scallops, with some reaching up to two inches in diameter. They have a texture that's more chewy and not quite as tender as bay scallops. Even so, the meat is still quite enjoyable, and has a sweet flavor.
What's the Difference Between Bay Scallops and Sea Scallops? | Kitchn
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A perfect summer meal! Thank you David Tanis!
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More power to you guys, I know a few people who love scallops.
To me they taste like rotten fish. I tried to eat them once or twice and they made me sick.
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Why do you leave out where the flavour is, the roe of the scallops ?
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Unfortunately, in some parts of the U.S. you can not legally purchase un-shucked scallops. As a result you don't often see whole scallops with roe here.
@ Jay Amberg Neptune, N.J
Heavens, is this a rule by those, who also tell people what they may, or may not, drink or smoke?
@Tuvw Xyz Don't know the origins of the laws where this is applicable -- there are exceptions but unless you know a boat captain (as some chef's do) and can arrange to have some whole scallops set aside they are difficult to find. For most commercial scalloper's it's just not cost effective to haul sea scallops home in the shell. Thus they are shucked at sea (a time consuming process), bagged and put on ice. The market for shell-on scallops would be limited because most people who buy scallops would never want to shuck them.
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Trick: Get a small white plastic bag such as for a small trash can. Place your scallops within 6 paper towels folded in half, such that there are 12 layers of towel between the scallop and the plastic. Burp out the air and tie off with a knot. You now have scallops surrounded in paper towel within a plastic bag sling.
Sling them around as fast as you. Hard. Do it for 5 minutes. It will spin out the water from the sulfited scallops. Open the plastic bag, remove the scallops and grill as you will. Works great.
A salad spinner works too, I would imagine. What you are going for is reactive centrifugal force and a place for the liquid to go.
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That may work in a pinch but I suggest refusing to buy brined scallops. Perhaps the fish industry will get the message.
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@RobD Where I live, day boat scallops are not easy to find, and when one does find them, they are very expensive. So I appreciate this neat trick for the rest of us.
The difference between 3 and 5 minutes is, well, a 60% difference. I'd hope for a better gauge than that!
Quick on the heat, I'd recommend the 3 minutes!
Cooking even a large scallop 3 to 5 minutes on the first side alone will overcook the scallop past medium. I would heat the grill, (or even better a good cast iron grill placed on the grill) to an absolute scorching temperature and spray either with a bit of cooking spray. 1 1/2 minutes per side is more than enough combined with carryover cooking. By using a cast iron pan one can use the juices or the fond on the bottom of the pan for a quick sauce if one desires. It is the nectar of the gods.
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Thank you for explaining what distinguishes "dry scallops." I knew they were better (and that the other types were impossible to sear) but didn't know why.
I agree that if you're going to cook scallops, medium in the middle is best - rare in the middle is a flavor and texture disconnect with the seared exterior.
Scallops (seared) have a wonderful but powerful and lingering aroma. Cook 'em outside if at all possible.
The corn salsa looks great. Fresh local sweet corn is coming into season in the east - perfect for that!
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Yikes! Three to five minutes will overcook your scallops! No more than 90 seconds on each side. The stopwatch on your smartphone comes in handy.
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@ MME New England
Yikes! How low can one fall, by using a smartphone when cooking scallops? A mechanical stopwatch, an hourglass, or an assistant counting loudly to 90 is a must. :--))
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The scallops were delicious, the salsa was tasty. They just didn't go together.
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We like to use orzo mixed with butter(no olive oil with scallops) sautéed small chopped vegies mixed set scallops around edges. When eating these we don't want to take away or compete with the delicate taste. Not a case of contrast just enhancement. The wine should work with the taste of the scallops and cleanse on the finish so you can do it all over again. Agree 5 minutes is too long to cook. Making a sauce of juices is a must pour on orzo mix or scallops, it all works.
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stovetop searing in a butter tumeric sauce is also delicious. the earthy and subtle tumeric flavor compliments the scallops and turns them a nice bright orange color. tasty, simple, and visually appealing!
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"... the simplest preparations are usually the best" -- I could not agree more with this pronouncement. And Mr. Tanis's advice to look for "day boat or diver scallops" is an advice of a true gourmet. All in all, I like scallops simply pan fried or grilled, without corn and salsa. But, each one to his tastes ...
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