What is a Scallop?
A Scallop is part of the Mollusc family and is the only bi-valve mollusc (having a hinged, double shell) that can move freely across the ocean; they are pretty fast too! Unlike other molluscs, such as mussels, oysters, or clams, that are usually attached to rocks, Scallops live at the base of the ocean.
A scallop is made up of:
- Two shells, one flat and one curved, that are attached together by a hinge
- A skirt, where their nerves are (unless buying a whole scallop in the shell, this part is cut off before sale)
- A black sack, which is their digestive band (unless buying a whole scallop in the shell, this part is cut off before sale)
- A White mussel, this is the part of the scallop that most people eat
- A Roe, where the scallop eggs are held. This changes in size, colour and flavour throughout the year depending on the spawning stage.
Different Types of Scallop
Queen Scallops: These are sweet in flavour and small. Often cheaper than Kings, mostly due to the demand.
King Scallops: Are the more popular Scallop and are more commonly found in restaurants. The King scallop is larger than the Queens and the roe has a stronger flavour and different texture.
Our boats fish all around the UK waters for King Scallops. This will vary depending on what areas are open. All our boats, apart from The Alcedo, are designed to be able to switch gear and fish for King or Queen Scallops. The Alcedo, due to design, only fishes for King Scallops year-round. The Queen Scallop season runs from July to April each year and shuts fully for 3 months to allow the scallops to repopulate. Each scallop can lay 1 million eggs at a time, so they can reproduce at a very quick rate compared to other species.
What to look for when buying?
A few top tips:
- Smell it – a scallop that is off will smell strongly of fish.
- What colour is it? When Scallops are going off the white meat will start to darken and may go a yellowish colour. Make sure you are buying white Scallops.
- Check the Roe. If the roe has tiny white spots on it this is a sign that the scallop is not at its freshest.
- How are the scallops stored? Scallops are best when they have been packed onto ice without touching the ice. So, make sure your fishmonger has them laid out on a film sheet over ice.
- Ask your fishmonger if the scallops are dry. Lots of places may soak their scallops in water, this is done to increase the weight of the scallop (and reduces the quality). It makes the scallops look a lot bigger because they have absorbed water. We will only ever sell our scallops dry, and will never soak them in water, to assure the highest quality.
How we sell scallops:
- Skirt on Queen Scallops (These are available for large wholesale orders)
Our King Scallops and our roe on and half shell queens get hand cut in our factory in Kirkcudbright just 500 yards from the harbour wall. We machine process our roeless queens and skirt-on queenies.
Our King Scallop boats go out for 3-4 days at a time and the queen scallop boats will go 2-3 days at a time. King scallops fished all-round the UK, although our favourite ones to fish for are in the Irish sea because they are a much better size. The Irish Sea scallops tend to grow to a larger size than those in the English Channel. This is because there are so many Scallops in the English Channel that they do not have the space to grow as big.
How do you cook Scallops?
Scallop meat has an incredibly unique texture and flavour. It is a very meaty mollusc, which holds its consistency and shape when cooked. The way you cook scallops depends on which scallop you are planning to eat.
King Scallops
We advise to get these if you want scallops to be your main meat in a dish. Best flash fried with a little bit of butter, oil, and seasoning (salt and pepper). King Scallops take one to one and half minutes on each side to cook, they are done when they are golden brown on both sides.
King Scallops are also great on the BBQ, either in the half shell, or directly placed onto the grill. Add chorizo and drizzle with a garlic parsley butter, then cook for a couple of minutes.
Roeless kings sometimes release a milky liquid, but this does not impact the taste, nor does it mean the scallop is off. It is nothing to be alarmed by as it is all natural.
You can also use King Scallops to make Ceviche! Check out our Ceviche recipe here.
Queen Scallops:
These are best when you are making a dish like paella, risotto or pasta and you want them throughout the dish. Add the queenies in the last couple of minutes and cook until they’re warmed through.
You can also have Queen Scallops in the half shell and cook them under the grill or in the BBQ, then add a little bit of brown butter, salt and pepper, and fresh parsley.
Have you tried deep fry both king and queen scallops? Roll them in flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs and fry. (We would recommend using roe off scallops when deep frying)
Important Cooking tips:
- Over cooked scallops are tough, keep an eye on them and remove them from the heat as soon as they are cooked.
- If you are cooking roe on scallops, then you need to pierce the roe with a sharp knife to avoid them exploding (like sausages).
- Before cooking, place them on some kitchen towels to take off any excess moisture.
- Scallops hold their quality when frozen. If cooking from frozen, you ought to thaw them out slowly during the day.
Fun facts:
- They have 50-100 light detectors embedded at the base of the sensory tentacles that run along the outer edges of their upper and lower shells – This allows them to respond to light and movement, protecting them from predators.
- Each scallop ridge represents a year of growth. But could also signify a stressful incident in the scallop’s life.
- Scallops are both male and female. The orange part is the female part, and the white part is the male part!