Where you are in the world influences how you enjoy your scallops: with or without the roe? That’s probably why we are used to discarding the roe, even if we buy our scallops in the shell.
We were talking to our fish monger, and he completely disagreed with us. He feels the roe is a tasty bonus, perhaps a bit more intense than the white of the scallop (the muscle). The texture of the roe gives a very pleasant mouthfeel, he told us.
We bought six scallops and promised him to eat both the muscle and the roe.
The flavours are very similar and the combination is a real treat. As our fish monger mentioned, it is a tasty bonus. We served the scallops with a potato purée. It creates a nice balance in the dish and it allows you to taste the scallops even better.
Wine Pairing
We enjoyed our Scallops with a glass of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie produced by Château de la Noë. This is an aromatic wine with fruity aromas, minerality and a long finish, which goes very well with the taste of the scallops and the purée.
The term ‘sur lie’ indicates that during a few months the wine stays in contact with the dead yeast cells left over after fermentation. This technique makes the wine more complex.
In general you’re looking for an elegant, fresh, light wine with clear acidity.
What You Need
- For the Seared Scallops
- 6 fresh Scallops (best if in their shell)
- Olive Oil
- Black Pepper
- For the Potato Purée
- One Potato
- Butter
- Cream
- Nutmeg
- Black Pepper
What You Do
Clean and steam (or cook) the potato until done. Use a fork to mash the potato (we love a bit chunky purée in this combination; therefore we suggest using a potato that’s also suitable for making fries), add butter, mash some more, add cream. Taste and add more butter and/or cream. Just before serving add freshy grated nutmeg and black pepper.
Clean the scallops. Heat a non-stick pan, add some olive oil to the pan and fry the muscle and the roe quickly. When on the plate, add some black pepper.
Cook and Drink 