Baked Scallops au Gratin
There are many ways to cook scallops and most seafood au gratin recipes don’t take that long to make. These baked scallops au gratin are super quick and extremely simple to cook.
Scallops are bivalve mollusks, meaning they have two connected shells. The part of the scallop that’s most often eaten is the abductor muscle that opens and closes the shell—it ranges in color from pale ivory to beige.
There are three types of scallops commonly eaten in the United States: bay scallops, calico scallops, and sea scallops.
Bay scallops are very small and sweet and are great in a pasta sauce or stir-fry. They are usually found in the northwest Atlantic, from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico.
Calico scallops have tightly closed shells and need to be steamed for preparation. Found in the coastal waters of the Atlantic between Maryland and Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, all the way down to Brazil, calico scallops are small like Bay scallops, but less sweet in flavor.
Sea scallops are larger than bay or calico scallops. They are also less sweet than bay scallops, but no less tender and delicate. Their flavor is delightful and they present beautifully on a plate. Atlantic sea scallops are located in the ocean area between Newfoundland and North Carolina.
Sea and bay scallops are in season from October through March, while calico scallops are in season from December through May. At Cameron’s Seafood, we sell sea scallops, and they are scrumptious in this baked scallop au gratin recipe. Our scallops are sold fresh, and never frozen. There are about 20-30 scallops per pound, depending on size.
Scallops are a very lean protein so they can toughen quite easily when cooked—cooking them too long will result in a rubbery scallop. A perfectly cooked scallop will be moist and opaque throughout. Scallops are a very healthy source of protein; they are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and low in calories. They are also a great source of other vitamins and minerals including vitamin B12, magnesium, and potassium.
Let’s make some baked scallops au gratin!
Baked Scallops au Gratin
Ingredients
- ½ lb Cameron’s Sea Scallops
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lay out the scallops in a lightly greased 1 quart baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients and toss them over the scallops.
Bake the scallops for 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. The scallops should be opaque throughout. Check your scallops at around 12 minutes to ensure they are not overcooking.
Baked scallops au gratin are great served alone as an appetizer, or can be served with a main dish like pasta and alfredo sauce.
Buy Sea Scallops Online
Cameron’s Seafood sea scallops are available for purchase online and you can get them delivered fresh right to your door. These scallops are “dry” which means they have not been treated with a phosphate bath. You are paying just for the scallops and not for added water!
We would love to see pictures of your baked scallops au gratin on social media. You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Tag us and let us know what you cooked up!
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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.
