How To Cook Small Scallops Recipes

HOW TO COOK BAY SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Cook the rest of your meal first. Scallops cook quickly, and they're best when they're fresh out of the pan. If you're planning to serve up anything else with your scallops (such as pasta or a salad), prepare that first and have it ready to serve the moment the scallops are done. For example, if you'd like to serve these scallops over toast, toast and butter the bread before you begin cooking the scallops.
• Remove the side-muscles if necessary. If your scallops still have their fibrous muscle tags attached, pull those off with your thumb and forefinger before you start cooking them. These muscles are easy to recognize because they feel tough and firm to the touch and their fibers go against the grain of the rest of the scallop. Leaving the muscles attached won't do any harm, but they're much tougher and harder to chew than the rest of the scallop.
• Rinse the scallops thoroughly with cool water. Before you cook the scallops, it's a good idea to rinse them to remove any grit, sand, or other unwanted debris. Put them in a colander before running water over them so they can drain quickly. Draining them quickly is key, since scallops will get waterlogged and mushy if they sit in water for too long.
• Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel. After the scallops have drained for a few minutes, spread them out on a flat surface covered in paper towels. Use another clean paper towel to gently pat each scallop dry. If you don't pat the scallops dry before searing them, you'll end up with tougher steamed scallops instead of tender, pan-seared ones.

BAKED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Pour melted butter into a 2 quart oval casserole dish. Distribute butter and scallops evenly inside the dish.
• Combine the bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, minced garlic and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle this mixture over the scallops.
• Bake in pre-heated oven until scallops are firm, about 20 minutes.