Scallops

A proper sear on scallops is a beautiful thing. You take a shellfish that is already sweet and add another level of sweetness and flavor. This is all due to the Maillard reaction. In the early 1900’s, a French Chemist named Louis-Camille Maillard, Studied and classified the reaction between amino acids and sugars in the presence of heat. To us cooks, it means flavor! To get this we need a good sear.

Living in Colorado, we have two options for fresh scallops. We could have them flown in from some far away land. Problem is, this is expensive and most purveyors will only sell in 5-pound cans. The better option is IQF or individually quick frozen, scallops. These are usually cleaned and frozen within hours of being in the briny deep. You can find IQF scallops in your local supermarket.

Your Markets fishmonger will probably have some thawed for your convenience but I like to buy them still frozen. This gives me ability to thaw them just before I cook them.

To ensure a proper sear you must first dry the scallops. This is very simple. Roll them up in paper towels. Let them sit for a few minutes. Change the towels when they become soaked. Repeat this until scallops are dry. Oh, don’t forget to remove that little side muscle. When cooked it becomes tough and rubbery.

Let’s get the pan hot. I like to use a stainless steel pan. Some use non-stick but I think you get a better sear in stainless. Place this over high heat. Next we need to season the scallops. Salt and white pepper is all that is needed.

The key to searing scallops is to have the pan very hot and you need a little more oil than you think. Place the scallops, one at a time, in the pan. You should immediately hear that sizzle. Move it around for a few seconds this will help prevent sticking, they will still stick, a bit but this will help. You want to cook this side till it releases from the pan and you have a nice brown crust. This will take few minutes.

Now is time to flip. Turn them over and let them go for another minute or two. Remove them from the pan and let them rest in a warm place until you plate.

I like my scallops crusty on the top and bottom and about medium rare in the center. If you go past this point they tend to become tough.

A special thanks to Kelly Shearwood, Chef of MoZaic restaurant at the Inn at Palmer Divide, for allowing me to share her beautiful plate. You can find more information about the Inn here.

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~T