Scallops with Almond Brown Butter and Parmesan Polenta Recipe | The Feedfeed (2024)

FAQs

Should scallops be soaked in milk before cooking? ›

Scallops, like many other types of seafood, can have a mild fishy odor that some people find off-putting. Soaking scallops in milk before cooking can help alleviate this odor. Milk can neutralize or mask the fishy smell, resulting in a milder scent.

Scallops are low-fat and high in protein with lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. While I recommend cooking them in butter for the best sear, you can cook them in vegetable, canola or grapeseed oil if preferred.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the scallops to skillet and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining scallops, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

I soaked the scallops in a water/lemon juice/salt brine for 30 minutes to help rinse the phosphates out. I rinsed the scallops and then sandwiched them between towels to soak up the excess liquid. I simply seasoned them with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper before searing them in a little butter.

Give your scallops a quick rinse to remove any grit, then thoroughly pat dry with a few paper towels, as excess moisture will inhibit searing. For added insurance, you can dry your scallops in the fridge for an hour or two before cooking.

You want a hot skillet when pan-searing scallops.

If you pat the scallops dry, dust them with flour, and use a hot pan, you will guarantee a beautiful golden brown sear.

Serving size: 8-11 medium scallops make a 3oz portion. With 40-60 in a pound and up to 11 in a single serving, these medium scallops provide a sweet, delicate bite that's perfect for enjoying whole.

Let scallops sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while towels absorb moisture. 2. Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12‑inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking.

If you're using a 12-inch skillet, you'll need about 3-4 Tablespoons oil. If you're cooking for one or two and using an 8-inch skillet, you may only need 2-3 Tablespoons. Add scallops that have dried on a paper towel and been seasoned generously with Kosher salt to the pan, then cook for 1-2 minutes undisturbed.

How do you know when sauteed scallops are done? ›

Scallops are quick-cooking shellfish, so it's key not to overcook them or they'll dry out. Generally, sea scallops take between 3 and 5 minutes to cook. How to know when scallops are done cooking? They'll be golden brown on both sides, just-firm at the edges and opaque and succulent in the center.

There is one neat trick to prevent this fishy smell and taste — soaking the scallops in milk. The milk will neutralize any fishy notes and aromas while making the flesh more tender.

Add the butter and olive oil to a large non-stick saute pan over high heat. Once it's smoking, add the scallops. Don't crowd the pan and work in two batches if necessary. Sear the scallops for 2 minutes on each side, until the sides are golden and the centers are translucent.

Thankfully, we have you covered: Dry Your Scallops: We mentioned this before, but it bears repeating—be sure to dry your scallops before placing them on the pan. Season Them Before You Cook Them: You should sprinkle your salt and pepper onto your scallops before cooking, not during or after.

Because sea scallops have a chewier texture, searing them in a hot skillet is the simplest, most effective cooking method to achieving a crisp exterior and tender, just-firm texture within. Basting the scallops with butter helps finish cooking them and enhances browning, too.

Before cooking, soak the fish in milk for 20 minutes

In this scenario, the protein in the milk binds with the compounds that cause that fishy odor, in essence extracting if from the fish.

At America's Test Kitchen, we have pretty strong opinions on which ones you should be buying. Wet scallops are treated with a solution of water and sodium tripolyphosphate, or STPP, which preserves them as soon as they are harvested at sea.

Unfortunately all this added water means they scallops just don't cook right and truly pale in comparison to dry scallopsIf you see scallops that are overly white and plump with a mild scent and a lot of milky liquid in the pan, they're most likely treated with STP.