I started eating scallops when I was around 5 years old. My mother used to take my older sister and I out for dinner once a month to a seafood restaurant in the city (Melbourne). We couldn't afford the mains but we'd order an entrée each. It was an expensive restaurant for the time (1980's) but it was there I acquired a taste for beautiful Australian scallops and probably table etiquette as well.
It was such a treat to go out for dinner and we really looked forward to it. It took until I was a teenager to realise how hard it would have been for my mother (bringing us up alone) to save the money to take us out for dinner. I have her to thank for my love of fine dining and seafood.
Fast forward many years.....I cook scallops a lot using my BBQ and a hot skillet! I absolutely love Australian scallops with the roe left on (the orange bit of the scallop) but I also like the Canadian ones too.
Here are my tips for Searing Scallops! These scrumptious seafood morsels can be ready in around 4 minutes!
- Buy the largest scallops you can find. Clean and pat them dry. If you don't ensure they're dry before cooking them, you'll end up with steamed scallops and something that looks like soup! Trust me, it wont get you much of a sear!
- You can add your favourite rub (sprinkle) or you can simply season with salt and pepper.
- Ensure your skillet is pre-heated over direct heat and hot! A skillet takes time to heat up but when it does, it give you an even cook and helps achieve a nice crust. Try it before a standard fry pan.
- Add a splash of olive oil (around 1-2 tablespoons, ok it's a bit more than a splash!)
- Cook for 2-3 minutes a side.
- Add a dob of butter right before you take them off the direct heat. You can cook them in a mix of the oil and butter though.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!!
