email this page“Because they are so sweet and delicate they really stand alone and are great for sashimi, ceviche or tartare preparations,” says Neil Patrick Hudson, former chef at Nantucket’s most famous luxury hotel, the White Elephant. Hudson has become a culinary champion of the tiny crustacean since moving to Nantucket seven years ago. When Hudson gets off work he throws on waders and heads out in the bay himself, rake in hand, to catch his own scallops for personal consumption, up to the residents’ five bushel annual limit. He likes them raw with black pepper and lemon juice but suggests sautéing them very quickly.
“Once they hit the already hot pan, they are almost done. Don’t move them, and in literally 30 seconds when you have caramelized one side, they are ready. You don’t really want to cook them so much as sear them so they are still opaque in the middle.”
Nantucket restaurants consume almost the entire harvest at $20 to $25 a pound wholesale, and you will pay $40 to $50 a pound for the small quantity exported to the mainland. Fans think they are worth every penny.
- Although there are many species, you’ll generally find two types of scallops in the market: Bay scallops and sea scallops. Bay scallops are the smaller of the two, measuring only ½ inch in diameter. They’re also sweeter and more expensive than sea scallops. Both types of scallops should be moist and sweet-smelling when purchased.
Bay Scallop Chowder
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Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped unpeeled red potatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1 pound bay scallops
2 cups half-and-half
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1. Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (onion through oregano). Sauté 10 minutes. Add clam juice and scallops. Cook 5 minutes. Add half-and-half, salt and pepper; cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in parsley. Serves 4.
Relish a Taste of America, "Nantucket Bay Scallops," October 2008.
Bay Scallop Sauté
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound bay scallops, patted dry
1 garlic clove, slivered
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley
2. Add half the scallops and cook without moving until seared, about 30 seconds. Flip and sear other side, about 30 seconds. Remove from pan. Add remaining butter to pan and repeat with remaining scallops. Return first batch to pan and remove from heat.
3. Add garlic, lemon juice and wine. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately. Serves 3.
Recipe by Larry Olmsted, Relish a Taste of America, "Nantucket Bay Scallops," October 2008.
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