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How to choose the best scallops and how to clean and store them at home.
Scallops are becoming an increasingly popular food that have long been found on the menus of the best restaurants in town.
The newfound popularity for this bivalve mollusc has trickled down to our tables at home and this fairly pricey seafood is often served as starters or main meals at dinner parties or on special occasions.
Scallops belong to the same family as clams, mussels and oysters and are the same in the way that they are also contained within two shells, brightly coloured fan-shaped shells in the case of scallops that are attached by a hinge.
The newfound popularity for this bivalve mollusc has trickled down to our tables at home and this fairly pricey seafood is often served as starters or main meals at dinner parties or on special occasions.
Scallops belong to the same family as clams, mussels and oysters and are the same in the way that they are also contained within two shells, brightly coloured fan-shaped shells in the case of scallops that are attached by a hinge.
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Introduction to scallops
The scallop is found in waters all over the world, particularly in areas such as China, Japan, off the west coast of Scotland and off the northeast coast of America and Canada.
In some areas stocks of wild scallops are declining and farming has been halted until numbers increase and seabeds are repopulated.
The scallop has three parts that are edible inside the shell: the white fleshy adductor muscle; the bright orange soft "coral" or roe; and the frilly membrane, which is often overlooked.
Popular in both Eastern and Western cooking, scallops are often teamed up with Asian flavours such as ginger, lemongrass, chilli, coriander and curry, as well as with Mediterranean flavours such as garlic, herbs and white wine.
Other favourites are scallops with peas, chorizo, bacon, prosciutto and watercress.
In some areas stocks of wild scallops are declining and farming has been halted until numbers increase and seabeds are repopulated.
The scallop has three parts that are edible inside the shell: the white fleshy adductor muscle; the bright orange soft "coral" or roe; and the frilly membrane, which is often overlooked.
Popular in both Eastern and Western cooking, scallops are often teamed up with Asian flavours such as ginger, lemongrass, chilli, coriander and curry, as well as with Mediterranean flavours such as garlic, herbs and white wine.
Other favourites are scallops with peas, chorizo, bacon, prosciutto and watercress.
Nutritional value of scallops
Scallops are a very healthy and nutritional food. They are very low in fat but are abundant in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are useful in lowering bad cholesterol and protecting the heart. Scallops are extremely rich in vitamin B12 and in numerous minerals including phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, zinc and copper. Two large scallops contain a total of only 26 calories.
Buying scallops
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There are two main types of scallop that you can buy from your local fishmonger or market. The first is the king scallop, which is fairly large in size and the most expensive. The queen scallop is tiny and sweet tasting and much cheaper to buy.
You can buy scallops in their shell or already removed and the latter is more common.
Choose scallops that are plump, firm, sweet-smelling and moist, and try to buy those that have been diver-picked by hand rather than those that have been farmed by the dredging method. The former is much more environmentally-friendly, as the latter damages the seabed.
Sometimes, when scallops are sold out of their shell, they are soaked in water or brine. This will increase their weight and size but to the detriment of the flavour and texture of the meaty flesh. To tell soaked and un-soaked scallops apart, the soaked scallops are generally an extremely abnormally bright white colour as opposed to the off-white creamy colour of an un-soaked scallop.
You can buy scallops in their shell or already removed and the latter is more common.
Choose scallops that are plump, firm, sweet-smelling and moist, and try to buy those that have been diver-picked by hand rather than those that have been farmed by the dredging method. The former is much more environmentally-friendly, as the latter damages the seabed.
Sometimes, when scallops are sold out of their shell, they are soaked in water or brine. This will increase their weight and size but to the detriment of the flavour and texture of the meaty flesh. To tell soaked and un-soaked scallops apart, the soaked scallops are generally an extremely abnormally bright white colour as opposed to the off-white creamy colour of an un-soaked scallop.
Storing scallops at home
Because the shell of the scallop does not close as tightly as that of the mussel or clam, the scallop does not survive for as long after leaving the water, making it a highly perishable mollusc. The scallops must be refrigerated in an airtight container as soon as possible after purchase and used on the same day, although they will keep for several days if necessary.
Opening a scallop by hand
Scallops can be opened in the same way as clams by using a short, sturdy knife to prise open the two shells at the hinge.
Once the shell is open, discard the black stomach sac and the frilly membrane, and keep the orange coral and the white fleshy muscle.
Cut or pull off the small gristly piece that is attached to the meat and discard.
The white meaty part is removed from the shell by sliding a sharp blade underneath it and gently easing it off with the coral still attached.
Scallops should be rinsed in cold water, as they always tend to be full of sand and grit.
The scallop, in particular, has a very pretty shell, which is often kept, cleaned and used as a recipient to cook and serve the meat.
Once the shell is open, discard the black stomach sac and the frilly membrane, and keep the orange coral and the white fleshy muscle.
Cut or pull off the small gristly piece that is attached to the meat and discard.
The white meaty part is removed from the shell by sliding a sharp blade underneath it and gently easing it off with the coral still attached.
Scallops should be rinsed in cold water, as they always tend to be full of sand and grit.
The scallop, in particular, has a very pretty shell, which is often kept, cleaned and used as a recipient to cook and serve the meat.
Opening a scallop with heat
The scallop can also be opened through cooking such as in a hot oven or by steaming. Once they have been opened in this manner, they will still need to be removed from their shell and cleaned as described above before cooking further in the chosen recipe.
For details on how to cook scallops plus a selection of delicious recipes, please see our article on how to cook scallops.
For details on how to cook scallops plus a selection of delicious recipes, please see our article on how to cook scallops.
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