I've always been scared of scallops... (no more)
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- Опубликовано: 1 мар 2024
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Cooking scallops can feel like stepping into the unknown for me. They're these precious little morsels of seafood that come with a hefty price tag, so there's always that fear of messing up and wasting them. Plus, they're delicate creatures. One wrong move on the stove, and they can turn from succulent to rubbery in seconds flat.
Timing is everything with scallops. They cook faster than you can say "scrumptious," which means I have to be on high alert in the kitchen. It's like a race against the clock to get them cooked to perfection without overdoing it.
Then there's the prep work. I've got to delicately remove that tiny muscle on the side, give them a good rinse, and pat them dry. It's all about setting the stage for their big moment on the plate.
And let's not forget about flavor. Scallops have this unique taste that I want to enhance, not overpower. Pairing them with the right ingredients feels like solving a culinary puzzle.
Despite the nerves, though, there's something thrilling about the challenge of cooking scallops. Each successful batch feels like a triumph, and with every attempt, I get a little more confident in my skills. It's all part of the adventure of cooking!
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Love how that woman who assisted you was able to open up the scallop like it was nothing. Shows what practice does.
Working in a prophetical setting make a huge difference opening 50 at one time vs opening 50 over a year or longer is a world of difference
and skills such as knife control are transferable
I worked in a butchers shop and a restaurant for some time m knife control is very good for things such as taking animals apart or filleting fish
Cutting even pieces of onions, not so much
it takes no time at all to get ok at such skills in the right setting
You literally just put the knife inside and turn, that’s like 2min of practice not a lifetime lol
Probably cause the scallop was on ice so it wouldn't close its shell
She also sliced the muscle and left some on the bottom half (top when opening) of the shell...
Fishmonger did a fishmonging
One thing to note: scallops have a wider and a narrower side; it’s preferred to cook the wider side first and slightly longer so it gets more color and then serve it that side up for presentation. I’m sure Alex will adjust in the next installment
That lady was so helpful! Always love it when you got help from people who truly know about the theme!😊😊😊❤❤❤
pretty bad job opening the scallop almost destroys it hehe good job hehe
Public service announcement: While for much seafood the rule is "More bigger, more bland." Like fish and crustaceans. Molluscs are different. A big octopus tastes the same and has the same texture as a small one (It also takes longer to overcook, so tends to be more forgiving.)
Bivalves break the rule even more. An exception would be mussels since we enjoy the fat, flesh, stomach and leave the actual muscle in the shell. Small and medium oysters are favored by the markets since they are more "delicate" than big ones but you don't know how plump an oyster will be until you open it. That prized jiggly fat has no flavor, the real taste is in the adductor muscle.
Enter big molluscs. Scallops, abalone, oysters. 00, extra big, double buckshot. The adductor that opens and closes the shell is the ribeye of the spineless. Packed with Iodine, flavors and textures not found elsewhere on earth; the bigger you go, the more delicious meat you will get.
For scallops, get em huge and please fresh. Beard em, bit of salt and butter on the halfshell to broil in the oven and you are gold. There is no meat as sweet and delicate.
Oysters. Never cook a premium oyster. And while big oyster are cheap, wild ones are at a premium for a reason. Bitting into that firm, gelatinous, yeilding muscle causes the protein and iodine to spill onto the tongue for an otherworldly experience.
And last the abalone, the sheep of the sea. Two big ones will give you as much meat as a rack of lamb. Clean it, pound it down and fry it with butter and herbs. You will be happy.
I had a friend who was a commercial fisherman and pulled deep water scallops, the kind you can get IQF, it's amazing watching those guys work.
Sounds like a description I'd find in a Bourdain book. I will take the PSA to heart and I appreciate the tip!
I've never been able to get behind raw oysters. I tried chewing (to no avail, tough) and I've tried swallowing whole. Both were just briney mucous. But cooked? Fried, rockafeller, you name it, some of the best eating I've ever had.
Coming from NZ and regularly gathering fresh scallops in season, it’s an ingredient I am very fond of.
I have to say, please don’t ignore the roe. European dishes often do. And it does have a less smooth texture than the muscle, but it does have great flavour.
Give it a try!
We usually eat it in France, (we call it corail for its color) but its usually cooked separately by chefs because the timing is different.
Some people don't like the flavour of the coral rather than its texture I've found. Some good restaurants will ask if you want the coral served too depending on the dish. Many places will use it in their fish stock. But it is a great part of the scallop that shouldn't be ignored or wasted.
The best part.
Criminal to leave it behind 😮
Bread and fry the roe. Helps with the texture and anything breaded then fried is good.
Please do cook the orange bit as well. It’s delicious ❤
Its called the Rho, and seconded!
@@apri404 in french it's corail
@@apri404 I know it's called ROE; you're right, I should have told him...
was about to mention this, glad someone got to it before me
I was going to bring this up as well; I watch "The Fish Locker" and he periodically gathers scallops and always cooks the roe.
The shop employees/owners seemed a bit afraid at first, but eventually it was a very interesting presentation, the lady was very helpful! It's great when you interact with experts, especially these available directly to the customers :)
I don't think they were expecting the camera filming. It isn't uncommon to see, especially in the 13th district of Paris where there are often film students doing homework, but it is a little rude to film without asking. Then again, maybe they were just a little nervous about being on camera. That happens too.
@@LabGecko Its not in the 13th, its Ebisu in the 11th, near Rue des Boulets.
@@NicolasJaek said _"Its not in the 13th"_
Sorry for the confusion. I didn't intend to say it was. I was just saying film crews are common where I live in the 13th.
the scallops in xo sauce (a seafood relish made with scallops, shrimp, dried fish, squid, oil, and often chili peppers) are what makes them so delicious
put it on rice, add it to soup, fry it with rice. adds so much umami seafoody richness
That sounds magical
Salut Alex ! Super vidéo ! Je suis un amateur de cuisine (pas du tout pro) mais en visionnant la vidéo, ça m'a rappelé un souvenir. Mon père en a cuisiné des fois et il utilise le corail des St Jacques mixés dans la sauce. Selon moi ça rajoute encore une autre dimension de goût et c'est vraiment excellent, je conseil !
I have always loved them! They are SO good! The last time i made them i seared them and applied a lemon/garlic butter! SO good! And there's so many variations too! Thanks for this Alex! 🤤🤤🤤🤤
A recommendation: take the cleaned scallops and their cleaned shells, and the reserved ribbon/skirt, and first fry the ribbons in a larger amount of butter than you might think and some herbs to your taste, then remove the fried ribbons and finely chop them, remove the majority of the butter into the bowls of the cleaned shells, place the scallop muscle into the butter, place the lid on top, and cook in wood coals with some set atop the lid shell as well to ensure even cooking. While they cook, put the chopped ribbons back in the pan with some shallot and some garlic, let them fry a bit and then deglaze with white wine and make a pan sauce to finish with the butter from the shells while you let the cooked scallops rest briefly in their shells, before removing the lids and serving bathed in the sauce in their somewhat charred shells.
The timing of this will take some figuring out depending on your fire, your wood, your pan, and your scallops, but no one can deny that it is a beautiful presentation.
Great episode. Personally, for that style of a sauced scallop, I prefer a Lemon Beurre Blanc. I do not think it is a San Francisco Bay Area thing, but around the west coast centric fish and shellfish, that I grew up with (Sand Dabs, Dungeness Crab, Pacific Salmon, scallops and oysters) lemon juice and zest were a must.
Thanks Alex for the motivation, I was always afraid of pufferfish but not anymore, on my way to the fish market!
Hi Alex! If you don't like the taste of corals (my family doesn't), my dad makes a really delicious sauce with them! He sautées them with shallots, deglazes the pan with white wine, blends the sauce with heavy cream and a bit of lemon juice. It doesn't take away from the delicate taste of the scallops and adds a really creamy, ocean-y, sour layer to the dish!
Cooking fears, that’s a great idea for a whole series!
Having grown up on a bay area with fresh seafood my entire life scallops have always been a favorite. I get them already prepared but fresh but it was nice to see how they look live and how to prepare. I usually really caramelize mine deeply in bacon fat until they are what some one would call overdone but still remain tender, get so very sweet, and have such rich flavor of the sea. I usually am able to deglaze the frond leftover with a nice white wine and I will caramelize some shallots and garlic in it and then make a nice cream sauce to go over it. Has been one of my partner's favorite birthday presents with some fresh pasta. Thank you for sharing your journey, enjoy!
Your videos are golden alex! Please keep making them!😊😊❤❤
I make a scallop cream soup as one family recipe and cream and scallops are a match made in heaven! Amazing!
Scallops !!!! Ohhhh yes!!! Let's gooo Alex !
Un voyage en Normandie .... serait un bonne idée.
Coming from the scallop capital of the world., great to see an episode that treats them as the guft that they are. Merci Alex.
From digby?
Yes
Best day today, caught up on all the videos I had missed and then a new video comes out, great!!
No other words to describe this video other than pure elegance. Well done.
I love this format !
As someone who opens a whole lot of bay scallops in the winter, it is always a pleasure to watch someone open their first scallop hehe! Sea scallops are definitely more intimidating though, they're just so big!
Really great video Alex! I think you can still develop it further! and of course don't forget the orange part!
So relatable. I had a similar arc but with seafood in general. Since I grew up inland, it always looked a bit alien to me, like creatures from another world. But after learning that my supermarket had a seafood counter (didn't even notice for years) I made salmon and mussels, and they were DELICIOUS
Like you, I was afraid of cooking scallops. But as I practiced, I found that I'm not a fan of thick sauces on seafood, like I am when it comes to pasta. Cooking fresh scallops in a light garlic oil and garnishing them with scallions and maybe a little lemon zest was the perfect combination for me. I have no doubt that your sauce was very tasty...I just happen to like the taste of the scallops better. I serve them with pasta aglio e olio to impress my friends.
I absolutely adore your navy blue wall! BEAUTIFUL 💙
classic french gotta cream up everything 😁
Best scallops I ever had were served over a bed of penne with halved cherry tomatoes and a dollop of pesto on top of each one. So simple, but super delicious..
Each time you say the words “crisp” and “crust” it makes my day. Hahaha. Another stupendous video, but we need a studio update please!
The coral is my favorite part. So sad people throw it away.
I agree I was surprised to see Alex not making a use of it!
I had a similar fear, but since you’ve conquered them…I’m now feeling brave enough to give it a go! Thanks, Alex 🥰
I think you can do amazing things with the other trimmings from the scallop..... at least some of them.... I hoped you would use them for the sauce.
I love it when Alex does these videos that focus on one ingredient. Too bad I'm allergic to Scallops.
Simply beautiful! 🙌🏻
Thanks for this. I'm now confident enough to go myself and buy a couple to cook at home. Always wanted to try it
Nicely done, sir!
When I cook scallops, I first put them in an aromated steam basket for 40-45 seconds (depending on thickness) and then sear them off on high temperature cast iron skillet for best result (30seconds max per side).
Why steam first?
@@parisbreakfastBetter control of cuisson.
I started watching because I’ve been learning French and I love learning about cooking and one of the twitch streamers I know has shown us your videos before, but every time I hear you speak French I get scared because I forget how fast y’all can speak 😂😂
On the same route now, my exec-chef put them on the menu... we serve them with bagna cauda, crudité of fennel and celery, tomato juice, lemon vinaigrette and top with fennel-dill, a tasty starter...
my grandmother used to cook curried scallops (wih rice on the side) and it was a family favourite.
A new Alex video, a nice Sunday morning treat with my coffee. I love scallops, some of my best memories are sitting on white coral beaches on the West of Scotland, eating freshly caught scallops & razor clams. They can be eaten raw or a quick fry in butter/oil. If you want to preserve that sweet, soft nature you can confit them in oil like duck fat or coconut oil. Shellfish like these love porcine products so bacon or black pudding go well - though I love a little slice of fried haggis with mine.
A friend of mine lives on Skye, due to transport costs its cheaper to feed his family with scallops rather than beef as a protein. So his lucky kids eat them regularly.
Loved that video !
Best scallop dish I've ever served the trick with the sear is to have the oil ripping ripping hot, just beginning to smoke before adding the scallops. You want a hard fast sear without fully cooking the insides.
From. There it was topped with crumbled bacon, chimichurri, and over a parsnip puree. That plate still makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
Nice; I just found your channel, and have enjoyed the few videos I’ve watched so far. A few comments on this video. First either learn how to keep the shell’s deep side level and down as you work, or work over a bowl so you can save the liquid inside the shells. Filter the sand out through a fine cloth, and incorporate the liquid in whatever sauce you’re going to make for the scallops, or use it in some other sauce to add a little bit of delicious flavor. Second, if you throw the corals out, you will be reborn in a Hell realm for 100 incarnations. (I’m joking. Maybe…) Cook them with the main muscle, or blitz them while they're raw and use them in a sauce, or separate them from the noix and snip the attachment membrane off, and cook them à la vapeur until they’re just set, and serve them on the side of the noix. Third, the tough little part on the main muscle is also delicious, but it needs to be handled separately because its texture is so different. If you’re making just enough scallops for your dinner, eat the little muscle piece as you work, as a sashimi treat for the chef! They’re not tough until they’re cooked. I also collect them when I’m preparing a lot of scallops, then save them to use them in a ceviche, with shrimp and/or fish, or with the main muscle of the scallops cut across the muscle fibers (like your first top shell restes, but even thinner). If you use make a ceviche with both parts of the muscle, give the little tough parts more time in the acid to soften; let them become fully opaque and white before you put the slices of the noix into the marinade; the slices only need a minute or two. Fourth, I think that you’ll get a nicer sear without overcooking the noix at all with much less fat in the pan. I like a film of clarified butter applied with a pastry brush - not more than that - but with a non-stick pan, you don’t need any fat or oil at all. Fifth, a recipe from the SE to try: first, slice very thin half-rounds of shallot, toss them with a little salt and a dusting of flour and let the rings break up and soften for a couple of minutes, and then deep fry them in oil until they are light brown. Then pull them out, and put them aside to let the excess oil drain into some kitchen paper. Sear the scallops as you’ve done, or in the way that I’ve described. Finally, take the noix out of the pan for a few moments and keep them warm, deglaze the sucs from the pan with a little splash of pastis, flambez the alcohol off without burning the apartment down, and reduce that to a tablespoon or two of liquid. Sometimes I’ll whisk a tiny touch of cream (fleurette or fraîche) into the hot pastis, but it’s delicious just as it is, too. Pour a puddle of the pastis sauce with the dissolved sucs onto a hot plate, set the scallops on the sauce, and sprinkle the crispy fried shallot over the scallops.
youre videos are so inspiring and educational
I tried scallops in petite celestine 4 months ago, and boy oooh boy... That was amazing. With leek with parmesan - you have to try it man
My father once cooked some and served them with a cream sauce similar to what you showed but infused with vanilla, it was the *best*! I think if everything is dosed just right, it really makes the sweetness of the scallops shine. Highly recommend it!
That was me, but with American BBQ Brisket. Started out smoking ribs then moving up to a Prok Butt/ Shoulder. And only then did I have the confidence in my skill and my pit, that actually a huge part of BBQ, is knowing how your pit reacts. I finally make my first brisket. Man it always feels like an Apollo mission moon shot. Attention to detail always pays off. Don't seath the small stuff but fix it when you see it. You make it.
At the beginning of the video, he unlocks a green bike, but after the shopping part, he leaves with a yellow-orange bike! What kind of sorcery is this Alex? (yes, I'm the kind of person who likes bikes)
That was extremely good for your first foray into this. I grew up near a bay area and have always preferred bay scallops, aka Patagonia scallops, rather than the big ones. They are pretty small, but so good. To me, simple is best when dealing with any kind of seafood. I don’t really want any sauces covering up their delicate flavors. My preference is to take those small scallops, salt them a little, dredge them lightly in flour, and deep fry them for a couple of minutes. They are lightly golden brown morsels of sweet goodness. The flour gets a little crispy and the scallops are tender. You would also do well to get yourself a shellfish shucking knife rather than using a butter knife. You made things harder for yourself by using the wrong tool.
Shes the most polite, helpful and agreeable Parisian I've ever seen.
You can easily discern that she is not Parisian. Probably why she is so polite.
Yeah, makes sense. *Resident of Paris, in that case
It is so amazing that you have access to scallops that are fresh and whole..... No Sodium Tripolyphosphate preventing them from browning!
Nice episode, I love scallops but I never cook it by myself!
My opinion if you want it:
I love the engineer part of you, it's a nice filter when you cook because you tell facts and, for us who doesn't have smell and taste by the video, it can really help us to understand your sensation. Maybe you can imagine a system whit the 5 part of a best dish with some cursors.
For exemple:
Scallops are 1/5 acidic, 1/5 bitter,...
Sauce dedicated for it is 3/5 acidic, etc
And then the deconstruction of your last plate can be imagined by us. Maybe I'm going to far, maybe not, I know our minds can merge into something ;)
I want Alex to make moose stew or braised bear, sweet salmon or salt fish. Something rural and real. Something people know the taste and texture of in the small parts of the world. I'd even be happy with turtle soup or a fowl dish since those appear to have disappeared aside from Peking duck or American turkey/chicken.
Goat and lamb, mutton and everything that's graced the tongue of a normal guy.
I want Alex to go international and find menudo or beef stroganoff with enough cream and spice.
I understand the drive to understand and create or recreate the food you love, but there's so much food to love!
The scallops available in Atlantic Canada are so fresh and better than anything I've had in Europe before.
Always a pleasure.
Having grown up in a small village where seafood is 90% of the economy. This took me back to my childhood when my dad showed me how to open scallops and having a fear of getting my finger snapped off.
You really need to serve/taste the small orange piece! That’s the best part of the scallop. 😮
Nice one Alex! I have as of late started carving scallop shells, as well as the local clam shells from here in Pismo/Oceano Beach. I've done hearts and waves so far. Fishhooks next I figure.
I like your optimism.
love scallops. i make them on special occasions for my family
I do a balsamic vinegar reduction for my scallops! Very yummy!
In quebec we call them "pétoncle" no matter the species, it's interesting to learn that in france you make the difference depending on species.
I know it’s a bit a big ask, but I’d love for you to do an episode or a small series on American BBQ. Brisket, beef and pork ribs, ham, beans collard greens. Foods that typically were “poor” meats and through a process became delicious and a unique genre of food.
Now we have to get Alex out with a viewing box to scoop up the much sweeter bay scallop variety
You are correct of course. I do not eat fish, rarely do I eat shellfish. Therefore I do not cook it. I am starkly mediocre about preparing dishes of shrimp,that I do like. I would like to cook my own scallops too, but like you, always wary or apathetic about it.
seeing the crust on those make me wonder why people are so precious about them. Gimme 16 of them, browned on ALL sides, swirling in a butter sauce like we do meatballs in tomato sauce.
Great that you've got the fear of scallops out of the way!
I was sorry that you didn't use the corail, but I do understand. Maybe do a further piece where you use it?
And another one doing ceviche!
Hey Alex, I'm a filmmaker, and I've been watching your videos since the original ramen series 😅. Your videos always are amazingly comforting to watch, BUT I have a small suggestion for you. Just so I'm clear, thsi is just a suggestion from what I've experienced from my time in the content creation space the last 3 years.
You could use LESS slow motion. I know you probably only use it for cooking montages, but if you watch some of the better cooking movies you'll see that they don't use slow motion at all, it's all mostly on song choice and composition of the shot. And since you have such a great selection of pieces for your channels videos, and a cameraman, I would urge you to explore this.
You have all my support 👏
Andreas from Cyprus
Alex, merci for sharing! Salut ❤
I've known someone who cook scallops to go with with a big dirty fry up in the cast iron, delicious.
Scallops are always available here in Nova Scotia. Given how fresh yours were, try this next time: Raw! Just slice them across the grain to get thin "pucks" and you serve them fanned out on the plate. They melt in your mouth. So nice to have a mixed serving dish with some cooked or sauced in various ways and some as sashimi. Bon appetit!
So… did every one add the "scallops ramen" to its bingo card ? Its coming, we all know it.
I do love me some scallops. I like the little darker. I do some butter and oil and a little onion / garlic sometimes in the mix salt and pepper
Good job on scallop, hope you are able to progress to geoduck next 😊
Miam! Looks delicious.
Can I always come eat scallops with you bcs you discard the coraille and I love it! Gimmegimmegimme!
My favorite local chop house serves scallop nachos from time to time, robust corn tortilla triangles with a dab of creamy guacamole and lovely seared scallop on top. Sounds unlikely but it really works.
That pan looks great 👀
Ahh my favourite. In Scotland we often eat them with a slice of black pudding in a sort of stack.
And I have no problem shcking class, etc. But my favorite seafood, scallops, shall remain unchecked by me. Congratulations, Alex!
I´ve had scallops a few times and I must say that I quite enjoy eating them.
I however didn´t know what they looked like so far.
Now I know but it also made me remember the time I visited a small french coastal city called "Le Havre" and seeing giant dumpsters full of what I now know were scallop shells 😂
The only time I have cooked scallops they were from frozen, but I cooked them sous vide and finished them with a torch. They were very tasty.
Next in the formula will be Alex gets the best scallops he can find, and then Alex learns to cook expert scallops
Alex raises Scallops from eggs.....
We do a chili-marinade on those for summer-evenings.. just love em
A small, flat-head screwdriver is MIRACULOUS for scallops/clams/oysters, fwiw.
Only thing left to learn is gathering them. Very easy once you find the spot.
I can't believe you discarded the foot. It's delicious yet very few chefs retain it.
When the lady in the shop showed you how to prepare them, she kept the foot.
You should have paid more attention to her.
Another great video though. Salut.
surprised you didn't try to use the roe/eggs.
i am also pretty afraid of working with scallops. hope to try it like you did sometime.
What I don't understand as someone who eats mussels and clams, is why can't you eat all of the scallop minus the digestive part? I can't seem to find anything able to answer that question. Because from my point of view were wasting so much of the Scallop
Who's bike did you steal outside the fishmonger? lul
Got food envy here. I love cooking these. With bacon and a mint pea sauce.
Excellent video as always, I know this is a bit off topic, but please please tell me the name of the track that was used at the end of the video. My head was bob'n because my neck knew it was PHAT!!
Alex, you had me at scallops.
Hello Alex, ravi de t’avoir croisé dans Paris ce soir! Ça m’a boosté pour la fin de ma session reprise du running 🏃
J’espère ne pas t’avoir retardé sur ton trajet 😉
bye bye ✌️ salut
Cream? Oh no! Where I live scallops are rarely available (perhaps every three years if I travel a long way) so dousing them with cream would be a sacrilege. Gently cooked in a little butter, then sprinkled with a squeeze of lemon and a tiny grinding of black or white pepper is sufficient. Apart from a glass of chilled white wine of course. Salud Alex.
Agreed. I don’t think cream adds anything to a scallop. I rarely use anything but salt, garlic, and pepper with them, sautéed in olive oil.
Cream and butter, being in roughly the same flavor family are each fabulous augmentation for scallops, I think. Just not very much of either. So delicious!
If you're in the US, cream there is quite different than cream in France.
What is US cream like then? @@LabGecko
Scallops in France often come from Normandy, a region that is also known for producing high-quality cream. These two products are therefore often associated here, and personally I find it delicious. The fat contained by the cream helps enhancing flavors, which makes it a perfect vessel for certain types of sauces. It also adds variety in texture, compared to the crunchy aspect of the outer layer of the scallop, with its tender inner part, and the soft/mouth-coating aspect of the cream.
Also regarding rarity, when I lived in Normandy, you could find scallops for 5 €/kg in the right season - it's probably way more expensive in Paris. So depending on one's location, it is not always a luxury product.
Really thought we were about to get the scallop mayo dish series at the end there
Congratulations!