Nori-wrapped seared scallop sashimi
And the tale of my seared sashimi extravaganza continues. (This is part 3). Sashimi is a Japanese delicacy. It consists of very fresh raw meat, most commonly fish, sliced into thin pieces. Last date night, we also had sesame-crusted seared salmon sashimi and lemon pepper seared tuna sashimi. Please have a look at those recipes too.
You may know that I love scallops. However, I didn’t know you could eat scallops raw until my first sushi-making experiment. I had been browsing in my favorite fresh fish store (it’s not so easy to find good fish here in landlocked Switzerland), and I asked the fishmonger what sushi-grade fish he could recommend. He said scallops (Coquilles St. Jacques). I asked him what I needed to do with them. He said, “Nothing. Slice them and eat them.” He cut off a small piece and handed it to me on the tip of his knife. It was heaven. Ever since then, I have been a fan. It’s a shame they aren’t available at more sushi bars.
Rinse the scallops and pat them dry with a paper towel. Brush them lightly with soy sauce. Set aside.
You will also need nori for this recipe. Nori is the edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine to make sushi rolls. It is sold in flat, square sheets. Cut the nori into strips about equal to the height of the scallops.
With a bit of coconut or olive oil, sear the scallops briefly for 1 minute. Turn them over carefully and sear the other side for another minute. Remove from the pan.
While they are still warm from the pan, wrap each scallop in a strip of nori. The heat and warmth from the scallops was enough to “seal” and hold my nori in place, but if yours needs some help, you can dab a bit of soya sauce on the nori. Eat immediately.
A word about sushi fish safety
If you are going to eat raw fish, you need to have absolutely fresh, sushi-grade fish from a reliable fishmonger. Never use frozen fish. Fresh sushi-grade fish will keep in the refrigerator (+2 °C or 35 °F) but should be consumed within two days.
Buying scallops for sushi or sashimi
Scallops have two types of meat in one shell: the adductor muscle, called “scallop,” which is white and meaty, and the roe, called “coral,” which is red or white and soft. Sometimes, markets sell scallops already prepared in the shell, with only the adductor muscle intact. Outside the U.S., the scallop is often sold whole. Make sure that the scallops are fresh and meaty. The roe can also be eaten either raw or seared.
- 4–6 sushi-grade scallops (Coquilles St. Jacques)
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 sheet sushi nori
- 3 Tbsp. coconut oil or olive oil
- Rinse the scallops and pat them dry with a paper towel. Brush them lightly with soy sauce. Set aside.
- Cut the nori into strips approximately equivalent to the height of the scallops.
- With a bit of coconut or olive oil, sear the scallops briefly for 1 minute. Turn them over carefully and sear the other side for another minute. Remove from the pan.
- While they are still warm from the pan, wrap each scallop in a strip of nori. If needed to help the seal, you can dab a bit of soy sauce on the nori. Eat immediately.
- This will serve 2 as an appetizer or along with other sushi or sashimi as part of a main meal.
- Tip: serve with soy sauce, wasabi (Japanese horseradish mustard), and pickled ginger.
- If you are paleo, coconut amino can be substituted for soy sauce.
About The Author
Bouqui
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Love the fishmonger story! Similar experience 26 years ago in New Haven. When I expressed skepticism about the scallop he recommended for our first homemade sushi experiment, he picked up a scallop and threw it in his mouth. Check out the pic I posted in Facebook of Gwynne Kohl rolling sushi in 1991.
Wonderful picture. Scallop sushi/sashimi is now my absolute favorite.