How to Cook Large Scallops?



In article <[email protected]>,
"Peter Aitken" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "aem" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Sheldon wrote:
> >>
> >> NEVER! No fungi with seafood, not ever! Even the sleaziest Chinky
> >> take-out doesn't mix 'shrooms with seafood... the flavor of either
> >> cancels out the othere, they definitely do not complement each other
> >> And naturally no rennin containing products either, NO CHEESE with
> >> SEAFOOD...

> >
> > You've been on this kick for a while now. I'll grant you that French
> > and Italian cuisines traditionally do not mix cheese and seafood.
> > That's about as far as it goes. Extending this to no mushrooms with
> > seafood doesn't have even that much basis. If you tried this classic
> > recipe you'd give up the idea immediately: -aem
> >
> >

>
> Someone should tell sheldoon that we all know he is a nitwit - he does not
> have to keep proving it. No mushrooms with seafood! That's rich. Next it'll
> be no basil with tomatoes or no garlic with eggplant.


Indeed... ;-)

When I make those crab stuffed portabello caps, I'll be making the
recipe up as I go along (as usual). If it comes out well, I'll take a
picture and post it and the recipe.

Should be good!

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-*****." -Jack Nicholson
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Bob (this one)" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Peter, I'm not going to get into it with you. I've been buying scallops
> for my restaurants since the 70's from professional vendors who taught
> me their vocabulary and showed me what to look for when their
> competitors tried to mess with me. I've been on boats when they were
> dredged and I've cut them out of shells; both sea and bay scallops. In
> my restaurants, I served whole scallops in the shells (complete with
> roe) that I had flown to me from the Fulton Fish Market when it was in
> lower Manhattan. I don't need to consult online authorities now, I've
> been dealing with seafood experts for 30 years.
>
> Pastorio


I've only found them in the shell with roe at the store once... :)
OH my gods, they were worth every penny! I'd get them again in a
heartbeat!

The last two times I've bought scallops, we had to take them back to the
store. They had a chemical smell and were bitter as hell. Totally nasty!

And we cooked them as soon as we got them home.

What could have caused this? It's made me afraid to purchase them again
so it's been a few years since I've been able to enjoy scallops.

The nasty ones came from the local grocery store.

Any idea Bob?
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-*****." -Jack Nicholson
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Bob (this one)" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Peter, I'm not going to get into it with you. I've been buying scallops
> for my restaurants since the 70's from professional vendors who taught
> me their vocabulary and showed me what to look for when their
> competitors tried to mess with me. I've been on boats when they were
> dredged and I've cut them out of shells; both sea and bay scallops. In
> my restaurants, I served whole scallops in the shells (complete with
> roe) that I had flown to me from the Fulton Fish Market when it was in
> lower Manhattan. I don't need to consult online authorities now, I've
> been dealing with seafood experts for 30 years.
>
> Pastorio


I've only found them in the shell with roe at the store once... :)
OH my gods, they were worth every penny! I'd get them again in a
heartbeat!

The last two times I've bought scallops, we had to take them back to the
store. They had a chemical smell and were bitter as hell. Totally nasty!

And we cooked them as soon as we got them home.

What could have caused this? It's made me afraid to purchase them again
so it's been a few years since I've been able to enjoy scallops.

The nasty ones came from the local grocery store.

Any idea Bob?
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-*****." -Jack Nicholson
 
Sheldon wrote:

> The easiest and best way to cook scallops is to dust lightly with seasoned
> flour and deep fry, about 3 minutes at 365ºF... do not overload fryer.
>
> Next best method is skewered and grilled... my favorite... intersperse
> with shrimp of equal size... when shrimp turn pink scallops are done too.
>
> Pan fried is the riskiest, most likely to stew/overcook... pan fry one
> scallop less than inch diameter of pan (9" pan - 8 scallops), and choose
> carefully that all are of equal size/thickness. Stir fried in a wok is
> probaby the best way to pan fry scallops... again, do not overload and if
> possible cook together with equal sized shrimp to indicate doneness.


It's PROBABLY, folks, not "probaby."

I don't find fault with any of that when it comes to cooking scallops of
normal size, but the OP specified that she's cooking LARGE scallops.
Deep-frying won't work well, nor will grilling. In fact, ANY high-heat
method is doomed to failure when you're dealing with large scallops, because
the heat doesn't penetrate to the interior until the exterior is overcooked.
The way to cook large scallops is to gently poach them. If you set the
temperature of the poaching liquid to the final temperature you want the
scallops to be (an electric skillet works well for this, and the final
temperature should be about 140°F), then they can't possibly exceed that
temperature and overcook. The poaching liquid can be anything that
complements to mild flavors of the scallops; I like a mixture of seafood
stock, lemon, onion slices, and soy sauce.

Or you could do as the OP is *already* doing and cut the scallops into
smaller pieces, in which case this entire discussion has been a waste of
time. :)

Hey, here's a recipe which combines scallops with mushrooms, cheese, AND
Alfredo Sauce!

http://www.publix.com/aprons/meals/MainDish/SimpleMeal.do?mealId=219&mealGroupId=13

Scallops Saint-Jacques
Ingredients
2 tablespoons garlic butter
6 ounces sliced baby portabella mushrooms (3/4 package)
1 pound bay scallops, thawed and drained
salt and pepper, to taste
large zip-top bag
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup sour cream
1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated mashed potatoes
cooking spray
1/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan and Romano cheese

Steps

1. Preheat large sauté pan on medium 2–3 minutes. Melt butter in pan and
swirl to coat. Add (rinsed) mushrooms. Cover and, stirring occasionally,
simmer 3 minutes.
2. Salt and pepper scallops and place in zip-top bag. Add flour; seal
tightly and shake to coat. Move mushrooms to outer edge of pan. Add scallops
to center and sauté, uncovered, 4 minutes, stirring scallops occasionally.
3. Place oven rack 6–8 inches from broiler, then preheat on broil.
4. Stir wine, Alfredo sauce and sour cream into scallops and mushrooms.
Reduce heat to low; cover and, stirring occasionally, simmer 6 minutes.
5. Place potatoes in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on HIGH 3
minutes.
6. Place four individual baking dishes on large baking sheet; coat each with
cooking spray. Stir potatoes divide equally into baking dishes, moving
potatoes to outer edge creating a pocket in center.
7. Divide scallop mixture evenly into each pocket. Sprinkle each with 1
tablespoon Italian cheese and 1/2 teaspoon Parmesan cheese blend. Broil 4–5
minutes, or until golden brown. Serve.

Bob
"Kike is still used to this day by Jews to describe other Jews who they feel
are low in character. www.jtf.org/why.use.term.kike.htm"
 
Sheldon wrote:

> NEVER! No fungi with seafood, not ever! Even the sleaziest Chinky
> take-out doesn't mix 'shrooms with seafood... the flavor of either cancels
> out the othere, they definitely do not complement each other And naturally
> no rennin containing products either, NO CHEESE with SEAFOOD


It's "OTHER," folks, not "othere."

Here's a fantastic and classic French dish containing scallops AND mushrooms
AND cheese:

Coquilles Saint-Jacques

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt, dash pepper
2 pounds sea scallops, washed and drained
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 pound sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup flour
1 cup light cream
1/2 cup milk
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
Directions:

In medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and salt;
ring to boil. Add scallops; simmer covered, 6 minutes or until tender.

Drain on paper towels. In 4 tablespoons hot butter or margarine in saucepan,
sauté onion and mushrooms until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in flour and
dash of pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in cream and milk. Bring
to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, 4-5 minutes or until quite
thick. Add cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Carefully stir in
wine, lemon juice and parsley. Add scallops and mix well. Turn into scallop
shells or a 1 1/2 quart casserole. Mix bread crumbs and melted butter;
sprinkle over the scallops. Place shells on cookie sheet. Broil 4 inches
from heat 2-3 minutes until golden brown.


Looks like Sheldon was wrong. Again, and as usual.

Bob
"Kike is still used to this day by Jews to describe other Jews who they feel
are low in character. www.jtf.org/why.use.term.kike.htm"
 
Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
>
>>The easiest and best way to cook scallops is to dust lightly with seasoned
>>flour and deep fry, about 3 minutes at 365ºF... do not overload fryer.
>>
>>Next best method is skewered and grilled... my favorite... intersperse
>>with shrimp of equal size... when shrimp turn pink scallops are done too.
>>
>>Pan fried is the riskiest, most likely to stew/overcook... pan fry one
>>scallop less than inch diameter of pan (9" pan - 8 scallops), and choose
>>carefully that all are of equal size/thickness. Stir fried in a wok is
>>probaby the best way to pan fry scallops... again, do not overload and if
>>possible cook together with equal sized shrimp to indicate doneness.

>
>
> It's PROBABLY, folks, not "probaby."
>
> I don't find fault with any of that when it comes to cooking scallops of
> normal size, but the OP specified that she's cooking LARGE scallops.
> Deep-frying won't work well, nor will grilling. In fact, ANY high-heat
> method is doomed to failure when you're dealing with large scallops, because
> the heat doesn't penetrate to the interior until the exterior is overcooked.
> The way to cook large scallops is to gently poach them. If you set the
> temperature of the poaching liquid to the final temperature you want the
> scallops to be (an electric skillet works well for this, and the final
> temperature should be about 140°F), then they can't possibly exceed that
> temperature and overcook. The poaching liquid can be anything that
> complements to mild flavors of the scallops; I like a mixture of seafood
> stock, lemon, onion slices, and soy sauce.
>
> Or you could do as the OP is *already* doing and cut the scallops into
> smaller pieces, in which case this entire discussion has been a waste of
> time. :)
>
> Hey, here's a recipe which combines scallops with mushrooms, cheese, AND
> Alfredo Sauce!
>
> http://www.publix.com/aprons/meals/MainDish/SimpleMeal.do?mealId=219&mealGroupId=13
>
> Scallops Saint-Jacques
> Ingredients
> 2 tablespoons garlic butter
> 6 ounces sliced baby portabella mushrooms (3/4 package)
> 1 pound bay scallops, thawed and drained
> salt and pepper, to taste
> large zip-top bag
> 2 tablespoons flour
> 1/2 cup white wine
> 1 cup Alfredo sauce
> 1/4 cup sour cream
> 1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated mashed potatoes
> cooking spray
> 1/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
> 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan and Romano cheese
>
> Steps
>
> 1. Preheat large sauté pan on medium 2–3 minutes. Melt butter in pan and
> swirl to coat. Add (rinsed) mushrooms. Cover and, stirring occasionally,
> simmer 3 minutes.
> 2. Salt and pepper scallops and place in zip-top bag. Add flour; seal
> tightly and shake to coat. Move mushrooms to outer edge of pan. Add scallops
> to center and sauté, uncovered, 4 minutes, stirring scallops occasionally.
> 3. Place oven rack 6–8 inches from broiler, then preheat on broil.
> 4. Stir wine, Alfredo sauce and sour cream into scallops and mushrooms.
> Reduce heat to low; cover and, stirring occasionally, simmer 6 minutes.
> 5. Place potatoes in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on HIGH 3
> minutes.
> 6. Place four individual baking dishes on large baking sheet; coat each with
> cooking spray. Stir potatoes divide equally into baking dishes, moving
> potatoes to outer edge creating a pocket in center.
> 7. Divide scallop mixture evenly into each pocket. Sprinkle each with 1
> tablespoon Italian cheese and 1/2 teaspoon Parmesan cheese blend. Broil 4–5
> minutes, or until golden brown. Serve.
>
> Bob
> "Kike is still used to this day by Jews to describe other Jews who they feel
> are low in character. www.jtf.org/why.use.term.kike.htm"
>
>


Your link is dead, bob. I can't imagine I'm missing much , though :)


--

saerah

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams
 
Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> I don't find fault with any of that when it comes to cooking scallops of
> normal size, but the OP specified that she's cooking LARGE scallops.
> Deep-frying won't work well, nor will grilling. In fact, ANY high-heat
> method is doomed to failure when you're dealing with large scallops, because
> the heat doesn't penetrate to the interior until the exterior is overcooked.
> The way to cook large scallops is to gently poach them. If you set the
> temperature of the poaching liquid to the final temperature you want the
> scallops to be (an electric skillet works well for this, and the final
> temperature should be about 140°F), then they can't possibly exceed that
> temperature and overcook. The poaching liquid can be anything that
> complements to mild flavors of the scallops; I like a mixture of seafood
> stock, lemon, onion slices, and soy sauce.


I can't agree that high heat cooking won't work well. It depends
on who you talk to. Some people like, or at least don't mind, the
tougher texture created on the surface when you sear or deep fry
sea scallops. I know a lot of people who really like them cooked
that way.

Personally, I prefer them smoked gently at a gentle 180 F.
They come out with the a nice, soft texture like you get when
poaching.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com
 
Reg wrote about large scallops:

> Personally, I prefer them smoked gently at a gentle 180 F.
> They come out with the a nice, soft texture like you get when
> poaching.


I was considering adding that to the post where I recommended poaching,
because I figured smoking OUGHT to work, but since I've never had smoked
scallops I didn't want to go out on a limb and recommend smoking. Given
your recommendation maybe I'll give it a try -- assuming I ever see scallops
as large as the OP described! IIRC the OP said that they were 2 1/2 inches
in diameter and 1 1/2 inches high, which is larger than I generally see
around here.

Bob
 
Reg wrote:

>
> I can't agree that high heat cooking won't work well. It depends
> on who you talk to. Some people like, or at least don't mind, the
> tougher texture created on the surface when you sear or deep fry
> sea scallops. I know a lot of people who really like them cooked
> that way.
>


I'm one of them :)
Crank up the heat, let the pan get nice and hot, add a little oil and slap them on
the hot pan for a little bit on each side. They are delicious.
 
Peter Aitken wrote:
> And scallops that are all pure white when raw should be avoided. They have
> been soaked in a phosphate solution to improve shelf life and it makes them
> watery and almost impossible to sear properly.
>

Yes, the 'wet' or 'soaked' kind are to be avoided if you can. I've
tried to sear them in a hot, dry, nonstick pan and they just sit there
and steam and spit at me. ('Washed' is a term used by some
distributors because they think it makes soaking sound like a positive
thing rather than a negative.) Sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) is used
on most scallops sold in the U.S. Was probably 80 percent ten years
ago, probably less than that now. And you can't always tell by the
color, since there are several types of scallops generally available.
Best is to find a vendor you can trust. Trader Joes labels their
frozen scallops as not having been treated with STP. The Fish King
seafood market I go to for fresh swears they buy and sell only the
'dry' kind. -aem
 
Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> Reg wrote about large scallops:
>
>>Personally, I prefer them smoked gently at a gentle 180 F.
>>They come out with the a nice, soft texture like you get when
>>poaching.

>
> I was considering adding that to the post where I recommended poaching,
> because I figured smoking OUGHT to work, but since I've never had smoked
> scallops I didn't want to go out on a limb and recommend smoking. Given
> your recommendation maybe I'll give it a try -- assuming I ever see scallops
> as large as the OP described! IIRC the OP said that they were 2 1/2 inches
> in diameter and 1 1/2 inches high, which is larger than I generally see
> around here.


I haven't seen them like that here in the US. The last time I had
a 2.5 inch scallop was in France.

Definitely try smoking them. Give them a light brine, air dry them
to a nice sheen, then smoke until cooked to your liking. They're
GOOD.

I like to scoop them out with a melon baller, top with various
goodies, and serve them on a platter.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com
 
aem wrote:

> Peter Aitken wrote:
> > And scallops that are all pure white when raw should be avoided.

> They have
> > been soaked in a phosphate solution to improve shelf life and it

> makes them
> > watery and almost impossible to sear properly.
> >

> Yes, the 'wet' or 'soaked' kind are to be avoided if you can.


There is a trick sometimes used with large scallops in restaurants where
they are partially pre cooked in boiling water (or sometimes a white
wine court bouillon) for about 5 minutes then dried and finished by
sautéing in butter and garlic till lightly browned.
---
JL

> I've
> tried to sear them in a hot, dry, nonstick pan and they just sit there
>
> and steam and spit at me. ('Washed' is a term used by some
> distributors because they think it makes soaking sound like a positive
>
> thing rather than a negative.) Sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) is used
>
> on most scallops sold in the U.S. Was probably 80 percent ten years
> ago, probably less than that now. And you can't always tell by the
> color, since there are several types of scallops generally available.
> Best is to find a vendor you can trust. Trader Joes labels their
> frozen scallops as not having been treated with STP. The Fish King
> seafood market I go to for fresh swears they buy and sell only the
> 'dry' kind. -aem
 
On 1 Dec 2005 18:54:02 -0600, Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> Or you could do as the OP is *already* doing and cut the scallops into
> smaller pieces, in which case this entire discussion has been a waste of
> time. :)


- and a complete waste of money on the OPs part, since larger scallops
most likely cost more than the smaller ones.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.
 
On 1 Dec 2005 19:24:03 -0600, Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> Reg wrote about large scallops:
>
> > Personally, I prefer them smoked gently at a gentle 180 F.
> > They come out with the a nice, soft texture like you get when
> > poaching.

>
> I was considering adding that to the post where I recommended poaching,
> because I figured smoking OUGHT to work, but since I've never had smoked
> scallops I didn't want to go out on a limb and recommend smoking. Given
> your recommendation maybe I'll give it a try -- assuming I ever see scallops
> as large as the OP described! IIRC the OP said that they were 2 1/2 inches
> in diameter and 1 1/2 inches high, which is larger than I generally see
> around here.
>

Do you think they were the real thing, or some of those fake scallops
discussed in another thread?
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.
 
sf wrote:

>> IIRC the OP said that they were 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches
>> high, which is larger than I generally see around here.
>>

> Do you think they were the real thing, or some of those fake scallops
> discussed in another thread?


Well, scallops *can* get that big. In Seattle once, I had part of a
MONSTER-sized scallop, at least 3 1/2 inches in diameter. My friend (who
had caught it while diving) cut it transversely into a few pieces, each
roughly the size of a hamburger patty, and grilled the pieces. (Served it on
a bed of lightly-curried shredded carrots.)

Bob
 
OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Bob (this one)" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Peter, I'm not going to get into it with you. I've been buying scallops
>>for my restaurants since the 70's from professional vendors who taught
>>me their vocabulary and showed me what to look for when their
>>competitors tried to mess with me. I've been on boats when they were
>>dredged and I've cut them out of shells; both sea and bay scallops. In
>>my restaurants, I served whole scallops in the shells (complete with
>>roe) that I had flown to me from the Fulton Fish Market when it was in
>>lower Manhattan. I don't need to consult online authorities now, I've
>>been dealing with seafood experts for 30 years.
>>Pastorio

>
>
> I've only found them in the shell with roe at the store once... :)
> OH my gods, they were worth every penny! I'd get them again in a
> heartbeat!
>
> The last two times I've bought scallops, we had to take them back to the
> store. They had a chemical smell and were bitter as hell. Totally nasty!
>
> And we cooked them as soon as we got them home.
>
> What could have caused this? It's made me afraid to purchase them again
> so it's been a few years since I've been able to enjoy scallops.
>
> The nasty ones came from the local grocery store.
>
> Any idea Bob?


They aren't usually available in the shell in stores. They don't keep
water in their shells like clams, mussels and oysters and, therefore,
die more quickly.

This sounds like they were washed and left in the solution too long.
And, perhaps were old. But you did right to return them. The best ones
I've had in a long time were from Costco.

Pastorio
 
OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> "Sheldon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>NEVER! No fungi with seafood, not ever! Even the sleaziest Chinky
>>take-out doesn't mix 'shrooms with seafood... the flavor of either
>>cancels out the othere, they definitely do not complement each other

>
> I don't agree...
> Sautee'd shrimp and sliced oyster mushrooms are the gods in butter,
> olive oil and just a little garlic. Add some quick fried paper thin
> strips of rare beef (preferably one of the better cuts) to that and off
> you go.


Strip steaks with a pouch cut into them, stuffed with sauteed shrimp and
mushrooms in demi-glace. We sold a zillion of them in my operations.

>>And naturally no rennin containing products either, NO CHEESE with
>>SEAFOOD...

>
> That I agree with.
> Cheese overwhelms the delicate, sweet flavor of most seafoods.


<http://www.recipezaar.com/r/216/220> For example...

Pastorio
 
sf wrote:
> On 1 Dec 2005 19:24:03 -0600, Bob Terwilliger wrote:
>
>
>> Reg wrote about large scallops:
>>
>> > Personally, I prefer them smoked gently at a gentle 180 F.
>> > They come out with the a nice, soft texture like you get when
>> > poaching.

>>
>> I was considering adding that to the post where I recommended poaching,
>> because I figured smoking OUGHT to work, but since I've never had smoked
>> scallops I didn't want to go out on a limb and recommend smoking. Given
>> your recommendation maybe I'll give it a try -- assuming I ever see scallops
>> as large as the OP described! IIRC the OP said that they were 2 1/2 inches
>> in diameter and 1 1/2 inches high, which is larger than I generally see
>> around here.
>>

>
> Do you think they were the real thing, or some of those fake scallops
> discussed in another thread?


<LOL> It just won't die... despite no one actually, verifiably ever
having seen one.

The scallops I buy at Costco are very large - some will be that size. I
often do them fast and hot on a cast iron griddle. Center is still
translucent and they're very tender. Lotsa butter.

Pastorio
 
Joseph Littleshoes wrote:

> There is a trick sometimes used with large scallops in restaurants where
> they are partially pre cooked in boiling water (or sometimes a white
> wine court bouillon) for about 5 minutes then dried and finished by
> sautéing in butter and garlic till lightly browned.


Interesting. I've never seen that or heard about it. Not sure what the
benefit would be since they cook quickly enough anyway.

Pastorio
 
Joseph Littleshoes wrote:

> There is a trick sometimes used with large scallops in restaurants where
> they are partially pre cooked in boiling water (or sometimes a white
> wine court bouillon) for about 5 minutes then dried and finished by
> sautéing in butter and garlic till lightly browned.


Interesting. I've never seen that or heard about it. Not sure what the
benefit would be since they cook quickly enough anyway.

Pastorio