Can you believe that we’ve made it to August? With time flying by so fast, don’t you want a way to slow down those fast moving summer nights? At Foremost Seafood, we wanted to highlight our fresh Bay Scallops for the month of August in hopes that you will just take a moment to savor your meal. These tiny morsels are full of flavor and can be used in a variety of dishes. Whether you are trying to add them to a pasta dish, or eating them alone, we’re sure that these two recipes will give you some inspiration for your next meal.
All About Bay Scallops
Similar to oysters, clams, and mussels, Bay Scallops are bivalve mollusks meaning that they have two shells to protect the interior muscle. You may have also heard of Sea Scallops. Sea Scallops and Bay Scallops come from the same family however, they do differ from each other. Bay Scallops have a sweeter taste and are more tender than the Sea Scallop, not to mention that they are smaller in size. The Sea Scallop ranges anywhere from an inch and a half to two inches in diameter whereas the Bay Scallop is about half an inch in diameter.
At Foremost Seafood, we carry fresh and frozen Bay Scallops. Our fresh is wild caught from Magdalena Bay, Baja California near Cabo San Lucas. They are dry packed - all natural which will provide you the ultimate taste. The size count is about 40-60 per pound and is going for $14.99/lb (price subject to change).
A little fun fact about Bay Scallops, they can have up to 200 eyes which are blue in color! When eating Bay Scallops, you are actually just eating their muscle so you don't have to worry about them looking at you.
The Recipe(s)
For this month, I wanted to provide everyone with not just one recipe, but two! Bay Scallops are very versatile and whether you’re feeling something with a citrus twist, or a sweet and savory finish, both recipes, though different, will make you take a moment to enjoy the meal.
Pan Seared Bay Scallops with Lemon Caper Sauce
Since Bay Scallops are tiny, it is best to keep a close eye when pan searing them. They do cook up quickly. For this recipe, the lemon caper sauce paired nicely with Temecula Penne Pasta which is now available at Foremost Seafood.
Ingredients:
1 pound of Bay Scallops (Serves about 2-3 people)
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup white wine
1 cup unsalted chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon capers rinsed
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Black pepper for seasoning
Salt for seasoning
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1 teaspoon chopped chives
lemon wedges
Cooking Instructions:
You will want to rinse off the Bay Scallops first then pat them dry.
Slightly salt the Bay Scallops.
Heat a saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil until oil begins to very lightly smoke.
Place Bay Scallops in the pan, make sure to not over crowd. You’ll want to toss them for about 2 and a half to 3 minutes.
Add in your butter, then toss scallops continuously to keep from burning, basting the scallops as you stir. Remove pan from heat and place scallops on a plate. DO NOT discard the pan.
Turn your heat to medium and add in garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
Increase your heat to medium high and add in wine. Simmer wine and stir for about 5 minutes or until the wine is reduced down to half.
Turn heat to high and add in chicken stock, lemon zest, lemon juice, and capers to your pan. Cook sauce for about 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce is reduced down to half.
Reduce heat to low and stir in dijon mustard.
Next, add back in the scallops. You’ll want to stir these for about 2 minutes.
Remove pan from heat.
Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped dill, chives and lemon wedges.
Enjoy!
Honey Sriracha Bay Scallops
If you’re interested in something a little more sweet and spicy, then this honey sriracha recipe is a great go to. I paired the Bay Scallops with rice and roasted broccoli for an asian take. Again, just a little reminder, Bay Scallops are much smaller than Sea Scallops and require less time for cooking so it’s best to keep your eyes on the Scallops while you are cooking them.
Ingredients:
1lb Bay Scallops (Serves about 2-3 people)
3 dashes ground black pepper
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sriracha
1 teaspoon seasoned rice wine vinegar (can use apple cider vinegar as a substitute)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Cooking Instructions:
First rinse off your Bay Scallops then pat them dry.
Season Bay Scallops with ground black pepper.
Mix honey, Sriracha, rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, and salt together to create your sauce. Whisk to combine ingredients.
In a skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Once the oil heats up, add in garlic for just a few seconds, then add in your scallops. Make sure you do not over crowd them in the skillet.
Toss scallops for about 2 and a half to 3 minutes.
Add in your sauce. Stir Scallops and let simmer for another minute or two till the sauce has thickened.
Remove from heat, and sprinkle with Parsley.
Serve over a bed of rice and a side of roasted broccoli. (Optional)
Enjoy!
At Foremost Seafood
If you are looking for fresh seafood in the Dayton, Kettering, area, then look no further than Foremost Seafood. We pride ourselves on carrying the freshest seafood around. Whether you are looking for fish or some scallops, we have it all. This month, take your Bay Scallops to the next level, by trying out these two recipes. They will surely make these fast summer days slow down for just a little bit. Give us a call at (937)298-1986 to place your order ahead of time, or feel free to visit us at 1912 Woodman Center Dr. Kettering, OH 45420. Don’t forget our hours of operation have also changed to Tuesday thru Friday 10am til 5pm and Saturday 9 til noon. Sea you soon!