Sear Those Scallops

Flank to Flame

by Tony Niccoli

Sear that Seafood

Welcome back grillers! If you have been following along with our continuing series of articles for 2022 you already know that each one has a focus on what I call the 3-T grilling technique. That is the focus, and planning before you start to cook, addressing the Taste, Texture, and Temperature that you want to produce for any type of protein or side dish that goes on the grill. These three elements are always going to be interconnected – the temperature you cook to and serve will partially dictate the texture, just as a dry rub that caramelizes to produce texture will also change the flavor. When you begin with the 3-T concept in your plan it’s much easier to take on new challenges and cook items you have never tried before while making up your own recipes and predicting beforehand how they will turn out. So far, in this 6-article series we have covered steak and veggie skewers, amazing burgers, mastering veggies, and making perfect blackened chicken or fish. Today we are going to take some of you a bit out of your comfort zone, but trust me – it’s worth the price of admission. Today, we stare scallops in the eye and don’t flinch. Well, technically speaking a scallop doesn’t have eyes, but we still ain’t backin’ down! So how familiar are you with a scallop? Order them occasionally at a restaurant, scared to even imagine how they taste, or already a pro at cooking them quickly in a pan or on the grill? I’m guessing that for most people, the scallop will be a new challenge and an exciting new delicacy for a few as well. Imagine those shells you loved to find as a kid. I mean the really pretty ones with a saucer that pulls to a little point near the end. It has those two tiny wings that stick off just a little by the bulged point, and redish-pink coloring on the shell and little fluting near the edge. That’s the home of a humble scallop. Or really, that’s half its home. In the ocean they would have two connected shells and live peacefully between feasting on phytoplankton and helping to clean the water around them. That shell stays shut when they aren’t eating with the pull of a strong muscle. All those workouts produce amazing flavor, and that round cut of adductor muscle is exactly what we are going to grill. They should look about the size of a golf ball but a little smaller and flat on the top and bottom. Purchased fresh they will hold well in the fridge for several days, have no sour odor, and be free from any slimy texture or dull coloring. These little beauties are going to cook really quickly and already have an amazing and succulent flavor all on their own. I often like to pair them with shrimp when I’m grilling and use the same flavoring for both – I think they make a perfect complement and go exceptionally well with the same sides. If this is your first time doing the scallops you might just want to do them alone, but more experienced grillers will have no problem getting the shrimp to cook at the same time as long as your grill is hot enough. To make the flipping faster and more precise, a flat-bladed or spiral-bladed skewer really helps. You can even put shrimp and scallops on the same skewer to impress your guests, but separately they give you a little more wiggle room on getting them cooked at the same time. Avoid a round skewer because they are very likely to spin when you flip and would be easier to handle alone.

So lets look at the plan for our 3-T cook. For taste, we could keep them plain and just add salt and pepper. They come from the sea bursting with all the flavor you need. But for anyone a little unsure about trying something so unfamiliar, lets add a little sauce while we grill. Measure out a half cup of olive oil, and add the juice of one lemon and one lime, and 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic. With this simple base, you can add some heat with a little dash of pepper, or deepen the flavor with something like parsley or paprika. You will also want to use plenty of salt and pepper directly on the scallops and shrimp as I always recommend with nearly anything that goes onto the grill. Make it your own, but keep it simple enough to respect the delicate sweetness from the scallops and shrimp. I can already picture that first bite now. So we have the flavor in mind, what about the temperature and texture? When perfectly cooked, a scallop should be completely opaque through. They start with a very slight pink color, and that should be completely gone. Other than the sear marks from your grill, they will be a colorless white hue. It should be just a little springy to the touch, if they start to go hard you are definitely overcooking and that will be the key here. Those shrimp will also have a great set of grill lines, but the rest will be a nice pink color and the inside will be completely opaque. Both are delicate proteins and we don’t want to create a lot of crust or texture to the exterior, so avoid seasonings that will quickly carmelize. Safe cook temp on the scallops will be lower than the shrimp. Take them to 130, while the shrimp need 145. But it’s important to remember that those scallops will be thicker and much more dense, so they will be what we need to watch as they finish cooking after the shrimp. Take too long on the scallops and you get rubbery shrimp. Take too long on both and the meal is inedible. Undercook, and you get to meet the friendly staff at your local hospital. So we want to get this just right! With a hot grill, and a well-oiled grate, I usually find that 3 minutes per side works perfectly to hit the balance of cooking both on time. If that grill is to low, you will definitely overcook the shrimp waiting on the scallops. Again, this is why separate skewers can ease up the process if it’s your first time working with new ingredients. At the three minute mark, when you go to flip, they should release easily and have nice grill lines on that first side. Easy as can be. Just close the lid and wait another 3 minutes. They come off hot, and will only cook for a few extra seconds after leaving the heat, unlike a steak or thick piece of chicken that will continue to cook several minutes after you stop the cook. I usually let them rest about a minute as I’m plating and expect to be sitting to eat without much more delay. Served with fries, rice, as tacos, over salad, or simply as an appetizer – these are guaranteed to please, impress, and delight anyone lucky enough to make it to your next cook out. And suddenly, something daunting like a grilled scallop becomes second nature when you just focus on the 3-T method before you grill.

Adult Winner 2021 - Sara Raquet Huckleberry Battle -2021-

Fall is here, and that means going out to the county fairs! Heather and I look forward to this every year, and get so excited as September approaches. Partially because we love getting to see the animals that kids have been working so hard to raise over the last year. Partially because we enjoy all the crafting and exhibits. Definitely because we love hearing the music, eating that carnival food, and running into friends that we haven’t seen in a long while. But mostly, yes mostly, we look forward to the annual Huckleberry Battle at the Latah County Fair. For years we have been astounded by all the incredibly creative and delicious entries, and my mouth is actually watering as I write this just thinking about getting to judge again this year. By the time you are reading this article, the 2022 battle may have already been waged – the winners crowned – the huckleberry cupcakes devoured. But just for a moment, lets travel back in time to reminisce on last year’s winners. For 2021, the challenge was huckleberry blondies. As always, the main rule was that huckleberries had to play a starring role in the treats, and creativity, flavor, presentation and unique use of huckleberries would be noted in the judging. To our delight again, this year the table was full of decadent treasures just waiting for us to sample them on the first day of the fair. In the end, Sara Raquet won the adult division in a very closely fought grouping, where several of the entrants were so close together that it was almost impossible to call the winner. As soon as we finished the judging, recorded the entrant numbers and registered it with the fair, we opened the tags to see who had won and just started laughing when we saw Sara’s name on the winning blondies. If you aren’t familiar with her work as a baker, and are wondering where she bakes, just flip a few pages to find her most recent work. Sara has been a contributing writer for the magazine for a long while now and always astounds us with her top-notch baking and recipes. In the youth division there was magic again this year. As often happens, the top few youth entrants could have actually held their own up in the adult division. For 2021 the youth winner was a 12 year old named Lana Lenssen who took first place with huckleberry white chocolate chip cheesecake blondies. They had a bright, fresh flavor – and the most creative use of huckleberries in any thing we tasted that day. Congratulations to both of the 2012 winners, and know that I’m counting the minutes until I get to try the 2022 Huckleberry Battle contestant’s cupcakes! Who me? Sample all those baked goods? Well, I’ll be your Huckleberry!