Butter Baked Parmesan Scallops
Scallops are lovingly referred to as the ‘candy of the sea’. This nickname references scallop’s mildly sweet flavor, making them a fantastic addition to any family’s weekly menu. We can’t get enough scallops. They are my mama’s favorite, my favorite, my husbands favorite (although, more often, the hubby is just happy to be fed) and a go-to for guests or visitors that might identify with the phrase ‘not really an adventurous eater’. Scallops are an approachable protein and extremely easy to prepare, as we’ll show with this recipe for Butter Baked Parmesan Scallops.
But, before we kick off the cooking, let’s chat a little on how to prep and prepare scallops.
Sea Scallops vs. Bay Scallops
I know the name might discern the location differences between these two types, but there are a few things to consider when shopping for scallops. Bay scallops are the smaller scallops, about the size of a nickel, and, of course, are fished in saltwater bays. Sea scallops are the larger scallops, about half-dollar sized, and, as you might’ve noticed from our website, our preferred style of scallop. Sea scallops are just easier to manage and cook. Their size reduces the risk of potentially over-cooking, opening up more opportunity in the kitchen with varying cooking methods. You can sear, grill, roast, broil, bake, and fry sea scallops with hardly any fuss. Bay scallops need much more baby sitting.
Prepping your Scallops
How much should I buy?
When deciding on how much scallop to purchase, keep this in mind… Most sea scallops fall into the classification of 20/30, those numbers indicate how many scallops you should expect to find in 1lb., between 20-30 scallops. Most folks can comfortably eat 4-5 scallops (although, the hubby would happily eat all 20 or 30 scallops), making 1lb. of scallops reasonable for 4 folks. If you have mega eaters in your midst, add another 1lb, just to be safe.
How do I prep them?
Scallops are the easiest shellfish to prepare, hands down. No need to shuck or peel. The only recommendation most pros make, when it comes to prepping scallops, is to remove the small piece of side muscle. This little bit is perfectly edible, the only reason it is recommended to remove and discard is because it can become tough when cooking. Second piece of prep advice would be to thoroughly dry your scallops before cooking. Scallops contain a lot of moisture. Without removing a good portion of that moisture, you will not be able to achieve that luscious golden-brown sear. How do I remove the moisture, you might ask? Easy! Sandwich your scallops between a couple sheets of paper towels about 15 minutes before cooking. Let the absorbency of the paper towels do it’s job!
Butter Baked Parmesan Scallops
Serves 4
- 1 lb. Sea Scallops (patted dry)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup butter (melted)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and minced)
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino Romano
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Season scallops generously with salt and pepper and place in a large casserole dish.
- Drizzle half of the butter (1/4 cup) over the scallops, then, sprinkle with garlic and bread crumbs. Drizzle the remaining melted butter over the bread crumbs and finish with a even sprinkle of grated parmesan.
- Place in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes or until the scallops are just tender and the bread crumbs are golden brown and toasted.
- Remove from the oven and serve hot.
Feel free to serve this tasty scallop main dish with any of your favorite veggies (we love asparagus, green beans, and sautéed spinach with this recipe) and starches (rice, pasta, and potatoes- all good).
Scallops for you, your mama, your partner…
Or anyone you would like to share scallops with! Cameron’s Seafood provides the most succulent fresh sea scallops- delivered right to your door. These scallops are carefully packaged into 1lb portions, making meal planning a breeze. You gotta try them!
Show us your scallops! Do you have a recipe that your family just absolutely loves? We love to see what our seafood fans have cooking! Post to any of our social pages Instagram, Facebook or Twitter @cameronsseafoodonline, we’ll be sure to show you some love in return 👍
About the author
Patterson Watkins is a professional chef with over 17 years of experience. With a robust career in restaurants, contract dining and catering (including 4 Summer Olympic posts preparing food for the athletes!) Patterson joined the Cameron’s Seafood team at the end of 2018 to concoct some delicious recipes with our premium seafood items as the centerpiece.
