A scallop primer (or is it primmer?)

I have no idea. And I have a feeling I have probably written this before, but wotthehell.



See, Annalena has become a facebook addict, and has taken to posting her nightly menus on her profile page. Sometimes there are reactions, sometimes, not. The reaction to last night's menu, which featured scallops, was far in excess of any other. Clearly, Annalena has touched a vein. There is a cadre of scallop lovers out there.



Count Annalena among them. I do think I could eat scallops every night of the week. That would delight no one more than my trainer Emily, who wishes I were eating more low fat protein like fish. Of course, the way I normally cook them would not please her, but half a loaf.... (she won't let me have the half loaf either). In any event, let's talk about these molluscs.



What you eat as a scallop is the muscle of a hinged shellfish. You've seen the shells. You've seen, for example, "Venus on the half shell." That's a scallop she's riding in on. There are other parts of the scallop, some not so savory, and one part where its savory quality is debatable. From time to time, you will find scallops filled with a pinkish orange roe. Annalena has been told that this is the pinnacle of good seafood eating.



Annalena would rather have a sea urchin, thank you very much. So we will be talking only about the muscle part here, leaving the roe to others to discuss.



You can buy two types of scallop: sea and bay. Bay scallops are tiny - about the size of a mini marshmallow, and are absurdly expensive. They are only available in this part of the world for a very short period of the year, and I have seen them at upwards of 35.00 a pound. I am not a big fan of them, although others feel they are the sweetest of all shellfish.



Bay scallops are much larger. You will see on restaurant menus, sometimes, "U10" scallops. That means there are ten units to a pound - your scallops are about a tenth of a pound, or 1.6 ounces each. That is a big scallop, but it is not the biggest. I have had Mexican scallops, that weigh in at 4 ounces each. Not so good. A novelty, but not worth the price. If you can get U10s, by all means, but to me, at any size, they are wonderful, and you cook them the same way.



When buying scallops, DO NOT go to your grocery store unless there is a special fish counter. Scallops that are available, wrapped in plastic in a container, are best thrown away. So, too, are scallops that look totally uniform and pristenely white in color. Those scallops have been bleached. Seriously. They have been put in a solution to keep them fresh, while the ships are at sea for days or even weeks at a time. They absorb that liquid, and then when you cook them, you will see your scallops turn into water in front of your eyes. Buy something else. Buy a can of tuna, for heaven's sake, just don't buy those.



No, the only scallops to buy are called either "dry" scallops, or "day boat" scallops, meaning they were caught that day, or that they were not stored in that ghastly solution. They will not have a uniform color: they will be white, pink, yellow, cream colored, reflecting what they last ate. They will give you a much bigger value for your money, as they will not pour off liquid when you cook them. For me, a half pound of scallops is a must. Probably, a third of a pound is a more reasonable serving. You make the call.



Here is how I almost always prepare them. First, get a bag and put about half a cup of flour into it, with about a hefty teaspoon of salt. Shake that up to make it uniform. Have your scallops ready, and toss them in, and around, to give them a uniform thin coat of seasoned flour (you could add pepper too, if you like).

To separate the scallops from the excess flour, dump the whole mess into a colander and shake. The flour will go through and the scallops will stay. You can clean up that floury mess with COLD water (don't use hot. You'll never get it up). Now, get your pan ready.

Scallops are one of two things I cook in a nonstick pan, the other being eggs. I just find that it works better for these guys. Get a BIG one. You need to get as many in the pan as you can, without crowding them. If you're working with, say, a pound, use two tablespoons of unsalted butter and two tablespoons of olive oil. Get them nice and hot. Then, add your scallops, and cook them without moving them, for about five minutes. That will give you a nice sear and get the scallops cooked more than half way through. Turn them and cook for a few more minutes - say three.

Now we're going to make a bit of sauce. Take the scallops out and put them to the side. Preferably, you'll cover them, so they won't get too cold. Take the pan OFF the heat (important), and pour in about half a cup of white wine. Hold the pan away from you, because the stuff can flare up. It did for me last night. Let it sizzle, and then put the pan down on the heat and reduce it, by about a half to 2/3. That's your sauce.

Plate up your scallops and pour the sauce over them. And you got DINNER. I like to serve this with rice, but it's really up to you as to what your starch is. For some, it's plain potatoes, for others, it is mashed potatoes, and for others, it is heartier stuff. Whatever you like.

Go forth, get thee some scallops, and cook away.