Scallops occupy a special position among seafood. They are no less tasty than crabs or shrimps and no less nutritious than squid or mussels, but they have a much more tender meat than all other inhabitants of salt water. Therefore, not every housewife will be able to cook scallops deliciously. And if you consider that in our latitudes, fresh or even slightly chilled seafood is rarely sold, then you have to cook frozen scallops, and this is even more difficult. However, nothing is impossible for a culinary specialist who wants to please loved ones with a delicious dish, and at the same time master a couple of new recipes.

We suggest you cook frozen scallops in several ways, presented in ascending order of difficulty. This will allow you to choose the most suitable and most affordable recipe based on your capabilities, goals and free time. In any case, no matter what you choose, scallop dishes turn out to be tasty, satisfying and at the same time nutritionally healthy. For this reason alone, it is worth at least occasionally cooking scallops for yourself and your family.

Composition, benefits and taste of scallops
Scallops are a whole family of bivalve molluscs with a characteristic shell shape like a bird's comb or stylized crown. The muscular body of a mollusk is hidden inside the shell, which is used in cooking. The taste of scallops is delicate and characteristic; it is easy to distinguish it from other seafood delicacies by its sweetish aftertaste, which not only does not spoil dishes with scallops, but also makes them especially piquant. This feature is due to the complex chemical composition of these delicious seafood.

Shellfish are 17-20% composed of an easy-to-digest protein with a complete amino acid composition, while carbohydrates (3% of the mass) and fats (2% of the mass) make up only a small fraction of the composition. Therefore, the calorie content of the scallop is low: only 92 kcal / 100 g. But the low energy value does not detract from the nutritional qualities, and they are truly outstanding in scallops: zinc, iodine, nickel, fluorine, molybdenum, chlorine, as well as PP vitamins (niacin ), E and group B. Such a composition makes scallop an ideal product for any diet: even for weight loss, at least for health improvement.

Judge for yourself: Lean protein is easily absorbed even by a weakened digestive system, so scallops can and should be included in the diet of convalescent patients recovering from surgery or treatment. This food is suitable for both children and the elderly. Sports and fitness aficionados seeking to build a muscular and beautiful body appreciate scallops for their high amount of essential amino acids and eat them even during pre-competition drying. Finally, scallops are worth trying for anyone who is passionate about tasty and healthy food and loves to cook at home.

How to cook frozen scallops?
If you have ever ordered a dish with scallops in a restaurant, then most likely they were served to you right on the seashells. At home, it is difficult to achieve such delights as buying scallops with shells - they end up on the shelves peeled. Moreover: you can buy fresh scallops only near the sea coast, while in supermarkets they sell mainly frozen seafood. What to do with frozen scallops? Here's what:

• First, you should choose small scallops, which are tastier and more tender than large shellfish. It is most convenient to do this if the seafood is sold by weight, and not in factory packaging.
  
• Secondly, store them in the freezer before cooking and avoid re-freezing, after which the product will lose its taste and the lion's share of its benefits.
  
• Thirdly, you need to defrost scallops gradually, first placing them on the shelf of the refrigerator, and then at room temperature.
  

If you are in a hurry, you can dip a tightly tied bag of frozen scallops in a bowl of warm water and defrost using this fast method. But it is better not to abuse this method. And after the scallops have thawed and softened, they can be boiled, fried, stewed and made into a variety of snacks.

How to cook frozen scallops?
Boiled scallops are the easiest and fastest way to cook them. Cooking scallops takes very little time, and the result is a ready-to-eat dish or a base for other, more complex culinary compositions:
Boiled scallops go well with a side dish of rice, cereals and potatoes. Scallop spices do not need to be specially selected - ready-made fish mixes and / or standard spices and herbs are fine.

How to fry frozen scallops?
Frying a scallop is even easier than boiling it. Before frying, frozen clams are thawed and then cooked in a pan:
Tender scallop fillets are easy to overcook if kept in the pan for too long. The recipe times are for whole shellfish, so shorten this time if you fry chopped scallops. Serve them immediately after frying, because hot they are much tastier than chilled ones.

What to cook with scallops?
Scallops can not only be boiled and fried, but also stewed, marinated and baked in paella, with cheese and bacon. Try these recipes first:
All scallop recipes, simple or complex, can be tailored to your needs, tastes and the current season. For example, instead of fresh herbs, you can use dried herbs, and serve sauerkraut as a side dish. Scallops will not quarrel with almost any food on your table and will perfectly fit into the festive menu. Like any seafood, they cook quickly and digest quickly without leaving heaviness in the stomach. We wish you bon appetite and inspiration for new culinary experiments!

Coquilles Saint-Jacques au lard. In the book "A Book about a Healthy and Tasty Life" by Igor Guberman, the author of the famous "Gariks", I read one amusing story. It happened "Once Upon a Time in France" in the winter of 1987 in Paris. The Taganka Theater came on tour to Paris. Professor A. Shchedrinsky also flew in from New York, who had a long-standing friendship with many actors and with whom, for obvious reasons, he did not see after leaving Russia. He and Guberman arranged a feast for the guys before the end of the tour at the Munich restaurant. A platter of scallops and oysters was served. After a while the waiter came over to change the plates. He bent down and was surprised to see that the plates were empty, he glanced under the table, but ... there was nothing under the table! With a puzzled expression on his face, he again looked into the plates, then under the table, then again, and suddenly his eyes widened, and he looked with horror at the clients. The Parisian garcon sees a lot in his life, but people eating molluscs along with shells! - this he saw for the first time. The guests felt that something was happening, but they could not figure out what. They did not understand that the reason for the half-fainting state of the waiter was the sinks lying in their pockets and handbags. This dish is prepared very easily and quickly, and most importantly - tasty and effective.

Bivalve clams are among the seafood most commonly used in restaurant cuisine. One of the best representatives of this family is rightfully considered a scallop, the meat of which has an exquisite slightly sweet taste and smells pleasantly of the freshness of the sea. Scallops are especially popular in Japan and France, on our tables they are still quite rare guests, so many housewives simply do not know how to cook scallops and how to choose them when buying. Scallops can be fried, baked, boiled for making salads or eaten raw. Let's talk about these methods in more detail.

How to cook fried scallops

In addition to a 1-pound package of scallop meat, you will need two cloves of garlic, a bunch of parsley, half a lemon, and olive oil. Chop the parsley finely, squeeze the garlic into it and add five tablespoons of oil to them. Mix everything well. Open the thawed packaging of scallop meat, place in the prepared marinade, cover with cling film and refrigerate for about half an hour. Then take a deep frying pan, pour oil into it and heat it well. Place the scallop meat in the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes on each side. Put the finished scallops on a dish, pour over with lemon juice and garnish with parsley leaves.

How to cook scallops baked in shells.

Rinse a kilogram of fresh scallops well, open the shutters, remove the molluscs from the shells and clean them well inside from all residues - only a column of white meat and a bag of bright orange caviar (if any) are used. When the improvised plates are cleaned and rinsed, they should be placed on a baking sheet, put a scallop in each sink and put the baking sheet in a well-heated oven for five minutes. During this time, the mollusks will let out juice, which must be drained from the shells, and instead of it, add half a spoonful of garlic oil to each scallop, made from one hundred grams of butter, pounded with a pinch of salt and two or three chopped garlic cloves. After that, the baking sheet with shells must be sent to the oven for a few more minutes. Serve scallops on the table right in the sinks, sprinkle them with finely chopped green onions for beauty.

How to boil scallops

Scallops are often boiled for making salads. This is done quite simply. Thawed scallop meat is dipped in boiling salted water and boiled after boiling for just one minute, after which the water is drained, and the finished meat is thrown in a colander and allowed to cool completely.

How to eat scallops raw

Sometimes fresh scallops are eaten raw. They are pre-cut into thin slices, pepper, salted and poured with lemon juice and olive oil. In addition to this method, there is another recipe for fresh scallops. Pour scallop slices with soy sauce, add a little sesame oil to them and serve as such.

How to choose the right scallops

In order for the purchase to be successful, you need to know that:

• Scallops are supplied to the trading network fresh or canned, as well as frozen. Frozen scallops can be packed in vacuum bags or sold by weight. Bulk scallops are the cheapest, but at the same time, the least tasty of all.
• Frozen scallops are sold in two types - whole with a shell, or one pure meat. Whole scallops should be taken if you plan to serve them on the table stacked in the shells of the sink, as is the custom in restaurants.
• If you are going to eat scallops raw, like a real gourmet, you should buy only live scallops, or fresh ones stored on ice for no more than three days.
• You must defrost the purchased scallops immediately before cooking, without opening the vacuum package, either at room temperature, or by lowering the bag in cold water.

This will require 750 g of scallops, 1 tbsp. l. dried sherry or rice wine drink, 3 cloves of garlic, 3 tbsp. l. black beans, 1 onion, 3-5 tbsp. l. sunflower or olive oil, 2 tsp. soy sauce, 2 bell pepper pods, 2 tbsp. l. potato starch, a little grated ginger and sugar.

Scallops should only be boiled in salted water for no more than 5 minutes. Otherwise, they will lose their original taste and transparency. Take a small saucepan and add water. Simmer over high heat.

Make cruciform incisions on the scallop and dip them into the water. Remember to add salt to the liquid before doing this. After they are cooked, lay them out on a towel and let the excess water drain out of the product. Place the scallops in a bowl and marinate in soy sauce with a little ground black pepper.

While they are steeping, cut the onion and pepper into strips. Place them in a skillet with oil and fry a little. Don't forget to add salt. Place the mixture in a bowl. Add oil to the skillet and simmer the pickled scallops. Put the ginger with them. The process should take 2-3 minutes. Pour sherry or wine into the contents of the dish, stir and put in a bowl.

The sauce that contained scallops should be mixed with sugar and potato starch. Place the beans and finely chopped garlic in a preheated skillet. Simmer for a few minutes, remembering to stir. Then add the scallops with vegetables and pour the sauce over everything. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot.

Scallops in boiled sauce

To do this, take 600 g of seafood, 10 raw potato tubers, a few peas of black pepper, 4 tsp. butter, 3 tsp. wheat flour, 2 carrots, 3 onions, a bunch of parsley, 1 tbsp. l. tomato paste, 2 tbsp. l. sunflower oil. Add salt, pepper, sugar, grated paprika to taste.

Boil scallops. Sprinkle parsley and a couple of peppercorns into the water. Pour the finished broth into a separate bowl. Leave the scallops on a platter. Let them cool down.

Pour flour into a skillet with heated oil. Fry, stirring constantly. When it turns yellow, dilute it with broth, Add chopped onions, pasta and various spices to taste. Cook the sauce for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Then strain it through a colander with small holes. Grind the remaining pieces of food, combine with a liquid base and place again in a pan until boiling. Pour the sauce over the finely chopped scallop wedges. Sprinkle with various herbs for decoration. Boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes can be used as a side dish.

How to cook sea scallops

Scallops, like all seafood, are very healthy and nutritious. Their delicate sweetish taste will be appreciated by every seafood lover. But in order for you to get a delicious dish, you should know how to cook scallops.

Anyone who visited the Mediterranean countries could purchase slightly convex shells as a souvenir. The shells of such shells are often decorated with other products or used to make sea beads. But none of us even have a clue that these shells belong to scallops.

At the moment, the scallop population in natural conditions is already recovering after its almost complete disappearance. The reason for this was the rapid reproduction of brown algae in the 80s of the last century. Therefore, scallops that have grown in the ocean are almost never caught. At the moment, scallops are farmed, and it is worth noting that their meat is much sweeter than those that were harvested in the ocean. By the way, it is preferable to catch scallops by hand, and not with a net. The scallops are stressed due to the net fishing, which greatly affects the taste of the meat, as gourmets say.

When you buy scallops from the store, the first thing to do is pay attention to the manufacturer... Good producers sell vacuum-packed scallop meat. These scallops were shock-frozen to preserve the flavor of the meat as best as possible. Loose scallops, on the other hand, will cost much less, but their taste will not be as intense.

It should be noted that cooking scallops begins with defrosting them... To do this, place a bag with scallops in cold water for 40 minutes. Since scallops thaw very quickly, it is very important not to miss the moment when the shellfish are already suitable for further cooking. If you leave your scallops to thaw in water for a long time, they will begin to lose their flavor. In restaurants, scallops are defrosted using not plain water, but slightly diluted with milk.

There are several ways to cook scallops. Choose one way or another depending on your culinary preferences. So, scallops can be eaten raw, but they are also fried, boiled and stewed... It is worth telling a little more about each method of cooking scallops.

How to cook scallops: raw serving

How to cook scallops

Scallops are delicious when served raw... For this, the scallop meat is cut into thin slices. To emphasize their mild, delicate flavor, the meat can be seasoned with salt, pepper and a little olive oil.

Same raw scallops can be pickled... For the marinade, you can use spices (salt, pepper, basil, dill, thyme, rosemary, parsley), balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Scallop meat cut into thin slices should be marinated for at least 1 hour.

How to cook scallops: boiling and stewing

Now we'll show you how to cook scallops in a saucepan. Scallops are not cooked for long - only 3-5 minutes in salted water... During this time, the scallop meat should lose its transparency. Boiled scallops are used for cooking.

Stewed scallops served with mashed potatoes as a side dish... Scallops are stewed with fried onions and tomato paste.

How to cook scallops: frying

You can fry scallops in a pan or grill... To grill scallops, grease the mesh with oil to prevent clams from sticking to it. Also, it would not hurt to grease the scallops with oil so that they do not dry out during cooking, and the meat would turn out juicy. Grill the scallops for a couple of minutes until they turn opaque. But it all depends on the size of the clam - the larger the scallop, the longer it will take to cook it.

Fry scallops in a large enough frying pan. Try to arrange the scallops so that they do not touch each other during frying... Fry the scallops on one side for one and a half minutes. Then they should be turned over to the other side and fried for another one and a half minutes. If, after this time, the center of the scallops remains transparent, you can extend their cooking for another two minutes. But the scallops are actually ready to eat.

How to cook scallops: use in other dishes

Scallops are often used to prepare various dishes. such as risotto or soup. How to cook scallops in this case? The fact is that scallops cook very quickly, so they should be added to another dish 3-4 minutes before it is completely cooked and served. Not only can scallops boil very quickly, they can also be digested. Because of this, the scallops will not be soft, but "rubbery", which happens with all improperly cooked seafood. If you want to pre-fry the scallops and then add them to another dish, you can proceed as follows. Add lightly fried scallops to the main course, say, risotto, only after it is fully cooked.

Cooked scallops are not recommended to be reheated, because they will lose their tenderness of meat and softness of taste. We recommend that you serve the scallops as soon as they are cooked and calculate so that the dish is completely eaten in one go.

How to cook a scallop