Before you’re able to cook scallops, you need to buy the scallops. Unfortunately, that’s not always so simple. Fresh scallops can be sold under a bewildering array of names — such as “bay” scallops, “sea” scallops and “jumbo” scallops — and these names don’t necessarily indicate a specific size or weight. And then there’s the mysterious “diver” scallop. What do all these descriptions mean?
Retailers should describe scallop sizes by using a range of numbers indicating how many of them there would be in a pound. Designating scallops as “20/30” would mean that it would take between 20 and 30 of them to make up a pound. The smaller the number is, the larger (by weight) the scallops are. You may also see size designations that look like “U/15” or “U/10.” In these cases, the “U” stands for “under,” indicating that it would take fewer than 10 (or 15) of these to make up a pound. U/10 scallops would be the biggest ones available.
Among the smallest of the scallops, corresponding to 70/120 using the numerical scale described above — meaning that there would be between 70 and 120 meats per pound of scallops. Bay scallops are particularly sweet and delicate tasting.
Scallops are a quick and versatile menu item for home cooking. Search out fresh scallops at a reputable fish market or fish counter at your grocery store. The scallops should be moist and have a sweet smell. Frozen scallops are convenient and rival fresh ones in terms of taste and texture.Scallops are a lean protein source and should be cooked quickly under high heat to prevent them from drying out. Also, a high-heat cooking method results in a pleasant browning on the outside and a delicious caramelized flavor. Because scallops are so lean, they require some fat such as oil or butter during cooking. Scallops are mild and need a little flavor boost. It can be a complex sauce or as simple as a squeeze of lime, as in our recipe.
Scallop Tacos
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup Sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Orange juice
- 1 teaspoon grated Orange peel (zest)
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups Coleslaw mix
- ½ Jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Lime juice + more to taste
- Scallops
- 8 Tortillas, warmed
- Diced avocado, for garnish
- Minced cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Whisk together sour cream, orange juice and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, toss the coleslaw mix with the jalapeno pepper, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and plenty of pepper, adding more lime juice if desired.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet until almost smoking. Add scallops to pan and sauté for 2 minutes – be careful not to overcook!
To assemble, fill each tortilla with a scoop of the slaw mixture, diced avocado and scallops. Drizzle with cream and top with cilantro, if using.
Savor! West Virginia 