Scallops
Once you have mastered this delicate seafood, you will be able to vary the accompaniments every time. I was taught by 2013 winner of BBC Masterchef Professionals, Steven Edwards at the Seasons cookery school.
Ingredients:
4/6 Large/Medium Hand Dived Scallops
10g/half oz Lilliput capers
10g/half oz Chopped Parsley
Method:
Remove scallops from the shell
Remove the skirt and roe and wash gently in a bowl of cold water
Pat dry with kitchen towel
To cook. Heat a medium non-stick pan. Add a little oil to the pan.
Season the scallops with a little sea salt
Pan fry large side down. After 2 minutes (until brown) flip over and add the butter
Cook for a further minute until the butter browns
Finally add a squeeze of lemon and the capers and parsley
My Tips:
I found a long palette knife worked best: slip between the two shells opposite to the square hinge end of the shell and gently but firmly run down the inside of the flat shell. This should loosen the scallop meat and enable you to separate the two shells. Gently work the knife under the scallop away from the rounded shell. You might be surprised at the amount of sand etc in the “skirt”. Gently separate this from the scallop meat, pull out the “comma” shaped roe. Throw out the sandy skirt. Don’t let the scallops spend more than about 30 seconds in the water as you wash them – and change the water if necessary to get rid of all the sand.
Check out the scallop meat: one flat side will be larger than the other.
Cook the roe at the same time as the scallop, turning half way through.