How to prepare king scallops
King scallops are one of the most luxurious ingredients in Irish waters and they are surprisingly simple to prepare and cook perfectly at home. Start by holding the scallop with the flat side of the shell facing up. Slide a thin flexible knife between the flat shell and the scallop meat, keeping the blade as close to the flat shell as possible. Run the knife across to sever the muscle that attaches the scallop to the flat shell. Lift off and discard the flat shell. You will now see the full scallop — the plump white muscle in the centre, the orange or coral coloured roe attached to one side, and around the outside a grey frilly membrane and a small dark stomach sac. Remove the grey frill and the dark stomach sac — they are not harmful but have an unpleasant texture. Keep the white muscle and the roe. Now slide the knife under the scallop in the curved lower shell to release it completely. Pat the scallop thoroughly dry with kitchen paper — this is the most important step for getting a perfect golden sear.
“The most common mistake with scallops is overcooking them. A screaming hot pan, good butter and sixty seconds per side – that is genuinely all they need”
To cook perfect pan seared scallops for two you will need six large king scallops prepared as above, 30g of unsalted butter, one tablespoon of light olive oil, two sprigs of fresh thyme, one clove of garlic lightly crushed, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Season the scallops generously on both sides just before cooking — not too early or the salt will draw out moisture. Heat a heavy stainless steel or cast iron pan until it is smoking hot. Add the olive oil. Place the scallops in the pan leaving space between each one. Do not touch them for sixty seconds. They should release naturally when they have a deep golden crust. Flip once. Add the butter, thyme and garlic immediately and baste the scallops with the foaming butter for thirty to forty five seconds. They should feel just firm to the touch. Remove immediately and serve at once — scallops wait for no one. Our king scallops are available fresh online shell on or shell off, hand dived and wild caught from Irish waters.
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