If you’ve ever seen the terms “wet” and “dry” used for my favorite mollusk, it might seem really counter-intuitive. Scallops come out of the ocean, a pretty damp environment, so aren’t they all wet by definition? Actually, as some of you foodies probably know, the term wet refers to treating this popular seafood with a chemical solution at sea to bump up the weight. Naturally, some sneaky seafood marketers invented a seemingly innocuous adjective for it. At least wet scallops are lighter on the budget. But you won’t see that word on the package; instead look for “no chemicals or water added” to know you’re getting the untreated version.
A better solution served! So-called dry scallops (more marketing shorthand) tend to show up the way nature intended in higher-end seafood departments like Wegmans stores have. I mused on this factoid as I went to make some jumbo scallops from Aldi’s. It suddenly occurred to me that there had to be a way to eliminate the slightly metallic flavor any added chemicals impart. It turns out there is! A quick search on my phone served up my solution (small pun there): simply soak them in water and lemon juice! Make sure to rinse them for a minute or two first to see just how foamy that chemical solution leaves them (Yikes!).
How to do this super-easy hack: Add a 1/4 cup of any kind of lemon juice to a quart of water and let soak for about an hour. I dare anyone to do a side-by-side taste test and detect a difference between the cheaper wet-type shellfish and the naturally clean flavor of dry, untreated scallops. Come on, I dares ya!
After draining my batch, and basting them with a little avocado oil, I cooked them quickly in my air-fryer for a mere two minutes on each side. If you’re nervous about doneness, temp them with a Taylor Instant-read Food thermometer to ensure your scallops are 125-130 degrees (says Cook’s Illustrated). Then I drizzled them with a combo of melted butter (1.5 tbsp) and a splash (1/4 tsp) of balsamic vinegar. Serve simply on shredded cabbage with a squeeze or two of Trader Joe’s Ginger Paste and the pan juices — enjoy your close-enough to restaurant-style, chemical-free meal!
Brandmoon: Words Matter 