# Bay scallops...any ideas?



## gonefishin (Nov 6, 2004)

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has ideas for bay scallops?

thanks,

dan


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## higjse (Feb 8, 2006)

with or without the shell?

last week I had em live and fresh, simply steamed em in some tomato water, w/ a salad of fresh herbs... sold out in two hours...

we did a trio of soups using frozen,  yes frozen, bay scallops last menu cycle... pureed some in the stocks for body and flavor... was pretty nice

saute em up with some gnocchi and a good butter or cream sauce, put em in a broth for a fish accompaniment, scallop bouillabaisse... scallop fried rice... the possibilities are endless... scallops are one of the most versatile proteins we have around, and since their so small you can feature em or use em as a garnish.... good luck


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## godfather_chef (Apr 21, 2006)

scallop risotto is very good as well, with just a touch of marscapone and maybe some baby spinach, quite good.


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

Seviche! But only a quick dunk in the liquid. I used to make it at work with orange, lemon, and lime juices, rice wine vinegar, some ground guajillo chile, lime leaves, lemongrass, lemon thyme, sliced Thai chiles, chopped shallots, cilantro, and a little salt. Let this sit overnight, strain, and then add the scallops a la minute. You can then add chopped cilantro, minced shallot, more sliced chiles, etc. 

or Coquilles St Jacques, in a fish-based veloute, topped with grated Gruyere and glazed.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

I'm thinking a Scallop and Spring Vegetable ragout. Quickly sear the scallops in butter and olive oil, remove from pan. Then saute up a few morels, add a light fish fumet and cook until morels are tender. Add some fresh favas, and asparagus tips (and first of season English peas if available) all pre blanched. Heat through. Finish the sauce with a good amount of butter stirred in and add the scallops back, off the heat, just to warm them through.


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## crazytatt (Mar 5, 2006)

I'm partial to breading them lightly in chrused blue corn tortillias chips, pan flas frying, serve em on a bed of shreded napa slaw, w/ cilanro lime vin, and a dipping duo of sweet thai chilli sauce, and lemon horseradish aioli.


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## travisbickle (Mar 13, 2006)

I'm guessing you are referring to the frozen product in which case, keep in mind they will be full of h2O. I used to have an appetizer on my menu where I used bay scallops sauteed in butter with lemon and dill, drained and then mixed with gueyre cheese. Then I would bias cut peices of baguette and spead the mixure on the bread and broil until just golden. I served four peices per order for 6.95. It was a pretty good app! Goes down nicely with a dry white like a Pinot Grigio.


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## shahar (Dec 15, 1999)

bay scallop pakora with tamarind-star anise broth.

orange cured bay scallop with vanilla vodka vin and baby arugula

tea smoked bay scallops with kolohrabi radish


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## gonefishin (Nov 6, 2004)

Thanks for all the great suggestions! 

I ended up with a quick poach, flambé with a Pernod Cream Sauce. Turned out nice. Although I do think the sweetness best comes through when left untouched. But still 

thanks!

dan


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## chrose (Nov 20, 2000)

Too late I always liked Bay Scallops even though they don't have a tremendous amount of flavor by themselves. Back in the day, Mom used to saute them up with prodigious amounts of finely ground black pepper and lemon butter. Usually over rice, and usually at the beach house. Mmm.. good
I like them now with a smoked salmon cream or beurre blanc over pasta.


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## aprilb (Feb 4, 2006)

Basic cream soup base, flour, butter, s & p, a pinch of cayenne or louisiana hot sauce after it's done. Minced onion, celery and I like a few mushrooms. Add heavy cream. 

Add the scallops, maybe some other seafood. I like shrimp, crab, halibut.

Let the soup cook the fish. Simmer.

You can add potatoes if you like. Scallions, but only at the last minute because cooking kind of ruins the taste. 

Play with it. 

You could use asparagus, ... but make it a mild veg. Don't overpower the sweetness of the scallops.

I've made crab, shrimp, or lobster dips. Never heard of a scallop dip. Anyone ever do that one?

April


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## diane (Mar 24, 2006)

Now chefTatt rang my bell. Apart from that I have only had them when the kids went down with a sugar bag, and we heated them through in a billy can on the beach. Mussells and oysters too. Those scollops can skip around, wonder the kids didn't drown. Bread and butter of course. Nice.


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## jonk (Dec 21, 2005)

Wow...what great ideas. We saute red and green pepper strips with chopped garlic in extra virgin olive oil, then add the bay scallops and a touch of clam broth at the end, tossing the mixture with linguine and some toasted bread crumbs, serving with parmesan. The downside of bay scallops (they exude liquid) thus helps to make a sauce.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

gently poach them in water lemon parsley stems, dillweed stems, salt

drain, separate from goo....refrig and add to mayo with capers, dillweed, tarragon, parsley, lemon with the tiniest hit of cayene. Add a bunch of scallions....Great on baby artichokes as an ap. or add shrimp, crab, whatever other seafood and make a salad with it.


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## andrew563 (Oct 12, 2005)

I did a scallop ceviche for Cinco de Mayo


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## lobster boy (May 9, 2006)

I saute a good amount of fresh spinach in a little butter with a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. I put this in the bottom of a buttered individual-sized casserole dish, top with 8 oz. raw bay scallops, put a slice of american cheese on the scallops and top with a buttered crumb mixture. Bake at 400 for about 10 to 15 minutes. The liquid given off from the scallops mixed with the melted cheese makes a nice little sauce. Mild flavors don't overwhelm the natural sweetness of the scallops.
I stole this recipe from Chef Normand LeClair of Kingston, RI. Thanks Chef, it's my wife's favorite!


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## nancyr (Sep 4, 2006)

I've thrown frozen bay scallops into a basic quiche and it was fabulous.:chef:


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## scurvydog (Aug 13, 2006)

Bay scallops??? Who buys that horse crap? Bay scallops are like the "sh*t" of the meat world. Grind it up and hide it something if you have to, but don't waste your hard, earned money. Don't buy frozen seafood just because it has a colorful plastic outer covering. If you're shopping in the frozen food section of your local grocery, then, go home...right now...make a drink...take a nap...AND START OVER!!!!


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

That's funny, because Nantucket Bay Scallops are some of the most sought after scallops in the world. So sweet and tasty they don't even need cooking. I pop them right in my mouth from the can. And at anywhere from $17-24 a pound they aren't cheap!


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## scurvydog (Aug 13, 2006)

Alright Pete...Gimmie 'da lowdown...I live in Ohio...nothin' but frozen garbage we have to pass off as food to paying customers. Please, elaborate?


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

If all you can get, from your fish purveyor, is frozen crappy scallops then it is time to find a new fish purveyor. I always try to buy "dry pack" scallops. For more on those see this discussion:
http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19096

Both sea and bay scallops can be some of the best eating around, or they can be real crap. It really all depends on how they are processed. Take the time and search out the good ones, though they don't come cheap. And frozen doesn't always have to mean "crappy". I used to buy scallops direct from a Boston supplier that made no qualms about the fact that they prefered to freeze their scallops immediately after processing rather than treat them chemically like many processors do. They are still some of the best scallops I have ever gotten. The most important thing is to find a fishmonger that truly cares about his/her product, knows where it comes from, and how it is processed.

As for Nantucket Bay scallops, we used to look forward to the opening of the season there, on November 1st, with great anticipation. The harvest used to only last a month or 2, though now I believe it has been extended. These sweet little morsels are like candy from the sea. Very flavorful, sweet and tender.


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

I can second the chowder recommendation. Last Saturday: Sweated finely diced celery, carrot, and shallot in a little olive oil. Added some russet potato cubes (about the same size as the scallops) and fish stock from my freezer. A little fish sauce for salt, a lot of black pepper, a few glugs of white wine Worcestershire. Whole milk -- I would have preferred to use heavy cream, but husband is watching his fat intake. Let it cook long enough for some of the tiny bits of potato to fall apart. A couple of minutes before serving I added the scallops -- just enough time for them to heat through. It was even good reheated today.


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## gonefishin (Nov 6, 2004)

Hi guys and gals,

When I originally started this thread I was getting my bay scallops from the grocery store. I've currently got a much better source for dry bay scallops, yum! I've been cooking them a variety of ways (pasta, seasoned, risotto) with good results. 


After reviewing all the good ideas posted in this thread I think I'll make a chowder with them next.

Has anyone got any other ideas?

thanks!
dan


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## deltadoc (Aug 15, 2004)

Bacon wrapped scallops, with toasted pumpkin seeds, cinnamon/nutmeg sugared chopped walnuts, a delicate honey shallot cream sauce over all.

Plate lickin' good!

doc


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Hmm, what's the difference between bay scallops, diver scallops, and sea scallops? All I know are the big ones and the tiny ones.

For the big ones I like to slice them in half lengthwise so that each one scallop gets split into 2 thin scallops. Salt, pepper, and a light dusting of curry powder. Sear on both sides and serve either with a corn salad or raisin puree.


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## just jim (Oct 18, 2007)

It's been years, but I once ran a bay scallop quesadilla that sold like hotcakes.
Saute'ed with a little garlic, lemon zest and fresh dill, with some diced tomatom green onions and fresh mozzarella.


BTW, how did we measure food sales before hotcakes were invented?


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## gonefishin (Nov 6, 2004)

LOL!

That sounds really good, I'll give it a try 

dan


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

I love scallops. One way I like them is just a quick saute in butter, adding a little oyster sauce to the pan. I eat 'em plain and dip bread in the sauce that forms.


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Ok, so I'm OLD, but I do like Coquille St Jacques.


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## oregonyeti (Jun 16, 2007)

I looked up recipes and found some with cream, some without, one with both scallops and shrimp . . . how do you make yours?


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Nantucket and Peconic Bay scallops are highly prized in any circle. Unfortunatly you are stuck with frozen,most likely farmed from Japan which I would not serve.
Either Bay or Sea frozen are the pits ,they absorb the saline and chemical water spray that they are showered with before quick freeze, so when they thaw they are like sponges. Only thing I would use them for is a chowder of soughts or to feed my cats, if they will eat them.:chef:
PS. I use Diver Scallops 8 to the pound and our patrons love them, hot or cold.
Also careful when buying ,as some unscrupulous fish wholesalers take a few from each can and make a new can and add water to the cans to make up weight(TRICKS OF THE TRADE)


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## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

Scallops are normally served as just the adductor muscle of the scallop. If you think of a clam, it's the little white circle that sticks hard to the shell. Outside the U.S., a great deal more of the scallop is often served, but unless you can find them in the shell you'll be unlikely to find them whole in the U.S.

Bay scallops are little things, and range from very sweet to unpleasantly fishy and briny, depending largely on prior treatment. Truly fresh bay scallops are candy of the sea.

Sea scallops are medium-large things, the ones you're probably familiar with as "large." Variation is much the same, though they hold up to flash-freezing rather better. Many are farmed, in which case quality depends a lot on the farm.

Diver scallops are big things, but mostly they're just really fresh big sea scallops, wild-caught. I've never seen them sold outside the shell, though that may be a matter of where I get them.

Out of interest, anyone know why live scallops are so hard to find in the U.S.? The ones I get here in Japan are so frighteningly alive that you have to fight them all the way to the flame -- no exaggeration.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

>>why live scallops are so hard to find in the U.S.?

Japan is an island.

Des Moines is not an island.

<g>


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