cook scallops

Cook Scallops

How To Cook Scallops - Pan Fried

• Scallops are a beautiful delicately flavoured meat, and require the shortest of cooking times. Overcooking makes the meat tough, and results in loss of flavour.
• You will need about 4-5 scallops per person, depending on the size, and which course you are cooking.
• In this simple lesson, we will learn how to cook scallops that are pan-fried.
• Make sure that before you start, you dry the scallops on a piece of kitchen paper, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.
• Scallops must be thoroughly dry when they go into the pan.
• You will need to coat a heavy based pan (I use prefer to use a 12" pre-seasoned skillet to get the perfect result) with vegetable oil, and leave for a few minutes to get hot. The hotter the better, you want the scallops to caramelised nicely - not stew in their own juices.
• Once the pan is hot you can pop the scallops in, they don't need long, depending on size. Roughly about a minute on each side. (they are cooked through when they are no longer translucent)
• After you have turned them over, pop a generous sized knob of butter into the pan, and allow to brown slightly. Finish the scallops off by coating them in the butter towards the end of cooking.
• Spoon out onto a piece of kitchen paper. You are ready to serve.

How To Cook Scallops - Grilled

• In this simple lesson, we will learn how to cook scallops that are grilled.
• Start by preheating the grill to a high temperature.
• Once the scallops are prepared and dried and seasoned, remove the grill tray and coat the rack with oil so that the scallops don't stick to it.
• It is always better to brush your scallops with melted butter before hand, this helps to keep them moist during cooking.
• They take roughly a couple of minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Once again this depends on their size.
• Once cooked, more of the melted butter can be brushed on for flavour.

How To Cook Scallops - Poached

• In this simple lesson, we will learn how to cook scallops that are poached.
• Once the scallops are prepared, dried, and seasoned they are ready to be poached. They can be poached in stock or wine.
• You can do this by bringing the liquid to the boil in a skillet, and simmering the single layer of scallops for about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on size, over a moderate heat. They will need to be turned once.
• After cooking they can be taken out and placed on a warm plate ready to be served.