SEARED SCALLOP CRUDO
Most scallops that you see at market are “wet” scallops, soaked in very cold water at sea after harvesting (and, most likely, preservative solutions such as sodium benzoate or sodium tripolyphosphate to keep them glossy and white). You might think that you are sautéing them in olive oil or the like but you are also steaming them in those liquids.
The best scallops to buy, if you can get them, are “dry-packed” scallops. You can get a crust on them in a way not possible with wet scallops because there is zero water added, much less all the other stuff.
Stores such as Marczyk Fine Foods “U-12” scallops are dry-packed and are among the larger available. The “U” stands for “under” and signifies that it would take fewer than 12 scallops to equal a pound.
RECIPE: Seared Scallop Crudo
By Bill St. John and Chef Jamey Fader. To serve 1; easily multiplied.
Ingredients
2-3 Dry-Packed U-12 Scallops
Canola or avocado oil, for searing
A fruity-nutty extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small lemon
2-3 medium-sized leaves of basil, in chiffonade
1/2 teaspoon preserved lemon (rind OK), minced
3/4 teaspoon Marcona Almonds, toasted and crushed
Finishing salt, such as Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
Directions
From each scallop, pull off the small, fibrous, rectangular-shaped side muscle, if present, using the tips of your thumb and index finger. Discard them.
With a small amount of the frying oil, film a preheated heavy-bottomed skillet, such as a seasoned cast iron skillet, set over medium-high heat. In it, sear the scallops for 90 seconds to 2 minutes on each flat side, until just a bit browned. Set aside to cool enough to handle.
Slice each scallop longways at its “equator,” forming two disks. Chop the disks into fourths, so that each scallop renders 8 pieces. Place all the pieces into a bowl and toss with a small amount of the extra virgin olive oil. (Do not douse; merely coat in a film.) Squeeze a small amount of lemon juice onto the pieces and again toss to coat.
Mound the scallop pieces in the center of a plate and onto them and the plate sprinkle the basil chiffoade, preserved lemon, almonds and a smidge of salt. Serve.
Wine Pairings and why: A fair amount of sweetness (raw scallop is sea butter) suggests a wine choice with a bit of residual sugar, an off-dry German or American Riesling, perhaps. Foods with a bit of sweetness to them taste best with wines with an equal amount of sweetness to them. As much as many folk eschew wines with sweetness—it’s perhaps the most common wine dis—they nonetheless buy wines with a hint of sugar to them: many a New World chardonnay, say, or most anything bag-in-box. We “talk dry but drink sweet.” It’s OK; it’s what is. Other suggestions: Italian Prosecco, Portuguese Vinho Verde, rosé or white, or a lighter-bodied American Chardonnay that often carries with it a smidgeon of residual sugar.