BBC Good Food

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Preparing scallops

How to clean and prepare scallops.

Points to remember

• Use an oyster shucking knife, and place it at the hinge, prizing it open slightly.
• Turn the scallop over and run a flexible fish filleting knife over the flat side of the shell to release the scallop. Use a spoon to release the scallop from the bottom shell.
• Pull off the frill, the black piece and any other pieces that are around the meat of the scallop and discard. Rinse the scallop thoroughly in cold water.
• Cook as desired.

Useful tips

• Make sure the shell is tightly shut (it may not be as tightly shut as other shellfish because the shell is corrugated) - the scallop may have perished and is not safe to eat.
• Store rounded side down, in the fridge.
• More about our fish expert, CJ Jackson.

• Sautéed scallops with mushrooms & spinach sauce
• Scallops with mushrooms & white wine (Coquilles St Jacques Parisienne)
• Scallops baked in the shell

More seafood recipes

• Mussels with garlic & herb breadcrumbs
• Oysters Kilpatrick
• Linguine with clams, chilli & garlic

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