Scallops And Cheese: Perfect Pairing For Seafood Lovers

Scallops are a seafood delicacy with a unique texture and subtle, sweet, buttery, and nutty flavours. While there are many ways to prepare and serve scallops, this article will focus on the cheeses that go well with them.

Gruyere cheese

One recipe for Coquille St. Jacques involves making a mornay sauce (a cheese sauce) with butter, flour, milk, and grated Gruyere cheese. The sauce is seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked for a further 6-8 minutes to ensure the flour is cooked through. An egg is then stirred into the sauce, followed by the addition of the scallops. The scallops are patted dry with a paper towel and seasoned with salt and pepper before being seared in a hot pan for 1-2 minutes on each side. The dish is then deglazed with a splash of lemon juice.

Another recipe for Coquille St. Jacques involves sauteing scallops in butter until opaque and transferring them to a plate lined with paper towels. Mushrooms and onions are then cooked in butter until tender before being combined with a mixture of Gruyere cheese, mayonnaise, white wine, and parsley. The scallops are returned to the skillet and cooked until heated through and the cheese is melted. This mixture is then spooned into individual ramekins or a baking dish, sprinkled with a breadcrumb mixture, and broiled until browned.

Goat cheese Peruvian potatoes

While scallops are often considered to pair well with potatoes, one option that stands out is goat cheese Peruvian potatoes. This side dish is an excellent complement to scallops, adding a perfect amount of spiciness and creaminess to the meal.

When preparing goat cheese Peruvian potatoes, it is essential to use the right type of potatoes. Ideally, you should choose a waxy variety, such as Yukon Gold or Red Bliss potatoes, as they hold their shape well and have a creamy texture. Make sure to boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender but not mushy, as you want them to maintain their shape when mixed with the cheese.

To make the dish even more flavourful, you can add some chopped green onions, fresh herbs, or even a touch of garlic. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste, and then gently fold in the goat cheese while the potatoes are still warm. The warmth of the potatoes will help melt the cheese, creating a creamy and luscious dish.

Crispy Brussels sprouts

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds of Brussels sprouts
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
• 4 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled
• 3 strips of natural thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Balsamic glaze

Method

• Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil.
• Wash, trim, and halve your Brussels sprouts.
• Toss the sprouts with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper.
• Roast for 15 minutes, then stir and roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until they reach your desired level of browning and crispness.
• Place the roasted sprouts into an oven-safe dish and top with crumbled blue cheese.
• Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the blue cheese melts.
• Remove from the oven, top with crispy bacon, and serve.
• If desired, drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Serving Suggestions

This side dish pairs well with scallops, salmon, or cod.

Variations

• If you want to make this vegetarian, simply omit the bacon.
• You can also try using goat cheese instead of blue cheese.

Lemon Parmesan orzo

Ingredients

• 200g orzo
• 100g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 lemon
• 20g butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

• Boil the orzo in salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
• In a large pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
• Add the cooked orzo to the pan and stir to coat in the garlic butter.
• Squeeze the lemon over the orzo and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir through the grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
• Serve the orzo with your scallops, garnished with a little extra parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

Variations

This recipe is a simple and delicious way to complement the subtle, sweet flavours of scallops. However, there are a few variations you could try:

• For a lighter dish, replace the butter with more olive oil.
• Add some chopped asparagus to the orzo for an extra vegetable serving.
• Try using a different type of cheese, such as Gruyere, which is commonly paired with seafood.

Scallop bisque

Scallops are a seafood delicacy with a unique texture and subtle, sweet, buttery, and nutty flavours. While scallops are delicious on their own, they can be taken to the next level when paired with cheese.

The Right Cheese for Scallops

The key to successfully pairing cheese with scallops is to choose a variety that complements rather than overwhelms their delicate flavour. Hard cheeses like parmesan, pecorino, and Grana Padano can be too overpowering on their own but work well when used in moderation as a crumb topping. Semi-soft cheeses like Gruyere, which has a milder flavour, are also excellent choices.

For a delicious scallop bisque, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Scallops (sea or bay)
• Butter
• Onion or shallot
• Mushroom
• Gruyere cheese
• White wine
• Lemon juice
• Parsley
• Dry breadcrumbs

Start by lightly greasing or buttering your baking dishes—either large scallop shells or small ramekins. Combine lemon juice, water, and salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then add the scallops and simmer for about 6 minutes. Drain the scallops and set them aside.

Next, melt butter in a saute pan and add your onions and mushrooms. Saute until they are soft, then whisk in flour and pepper. After 30 seconds, whisk in cream and milk and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until it thickens.

Add the cheese, wine, lemon juice, and parsley, whisking until everything is blended and the cheese has melted. Finally, add the scallops to the mixture and divide it into your prepared baking dishes.

For a crispy topping, combine dry breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle this mixture on top of the scallop bisque. Broil about 4 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the topping is browned and sizzling.

Serving Suggestions

Frequently asked questions