Ina Garten-Inspired Scallops

Compiled by Igor Kukolj, Editor. Nobody here has cooked this — how these are made.

If your scallops have ever released a pool of white liquid and boiled instead of browning, the pan was not the problem. It was what you bought.

Most scallops sold in supermarkets are "wet" — treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, which makes them absorb and hold a large amount of added water. They look plump and bright white, they weigh more, and they are physically incapable of searing: the moment they hit heat they shed that water, the pan temperature collapses, and they poach in it.

Ask the fishmonger for dry or diver scallops. They look duller, slightly ivory or pinkish, and they cost more per kilo — but you are not paying for water, and they brown in ninety seconds.

The pan has to be hotter than feels sensible

Dry scallops still contain plenty of natural moisture, and you have about a minute to form a crust before the inside overcooks. Heat a heavy pan until the oil is shimmering and just beginning to smoke. Lay them away from you, and do not touch them.

Ninety seconds, then thirty

A minute and a half on the first side gives a deep brown crust. Thirty to forty seconds on the second is enough to finish them. A scallop cooked through is rubbery and slightly squeaky; the centre should still be translucent.

Salt them at the last second

Salt draws water to the surface within a couple of minutes, which is exactly what you have spent ten minutes removing. Season them as they go into the pan, not before.

Storing

Cook them and eat them. Scallops are the least forgiving thing in this respect — reheated, they tighten into rubber, and there is no method that avoids it.