Scallop

Pat them very dry, then sear in a very hot lightly oiled pan for about 1–2 minutes per side, until golden and just opaque in the centre. Don’t crowd the pan, or they’ll steam instead of browning.

Yes. The orange part is the roe, also called the coral; it is edible and has a stronger, brinier flavour than the white adductor muscle. Cook it with the scallop, or remove it if you prefer a milder taste.

The outside should be golden and the centre just opaque, while the scallop still feels slightly springy. Stop cooking as soon as it turns opaque throughout; prolonged cooking makes it tough.

Their sweet, delicate flavour works well with lemon, garlic, parsley, butter and crisp white wine. Serve pan-seared scallops with pea purée, asparagus or a simple salad; they’re also used in coquilles Saint-Jacques.

Raw scallops can carry harmful microbes, so cooking them is the safer choice. If you do eat them raw, use scallops specifically sold for raw eating, keep them properly chilled and serve them promptly.

Keep fresh scallops in the fridge in a covered container, ideally over ice with a way for meltwater to drain away, and use them within a day. Freeze them promptly if you won’t cook them soon; thaw them in the fridge.

Yes. Scallops are a lean, protein-rich seafood: a 100 g portion provides 23 g of protein, with very little fat.

Both are scallops, but Japanese scallop data list 10.8 g of protein and 55 kcal per 100 g, compared with 23 g and 93 kcal for scallop. Japanese scallops also list 1.4 g of carbohydrate per 100 g.