One of the seafood guys at the the local grocery store kinda gives me the heebs. He’s super-nice, friendly and helpful BUT as he packages up my seafood order, wraps it up in paper and hands it to me, he holds onto the package of seafood just a leeeeetle too long, winks at me and says, “You come back and see me again, you hear?” He won’t let go of the package until I quickly nod yes.
Now, perhaps I’m just overly sensitive to people handling my raw food or that I’m just always in a hurry and need to gogogogogoooooo now, but I guess it’s similar to the people who shake your hand and pump just a few too many times (1 pump is strange, 2 pumps doesn’t seem quite enough, 3-4 pumps is good and any more than 5 pumps is just totally awkward).
So when we go to the grocery store, I load up on produce first, then ease over to the seafood/meat departments. Luckily, seafood is first and I can sneakily glance quickly to see who’s behind the seafood counter and if it’s him, I’ll resort to meat. If it’s anyone else, Hallelujah! Seafood tonight, baby!
Last week, it was seafood EVERY NIGHT!! (he was on vacation)
My friends, the scallop looked irresistible behind the glass. They had just come in that morning, dry packed and not yet defrosted, which is perfect. I like to defrost my own scallops and shrimp. They are both frozen at sea or at the port anyways, and I’d rather control the defrosting than not know how long they’ve been sitting out. It’s just safer and cleaner that way.
A quick sear on both sides of the scallop to get some nice crust and then simmered in the mustard-miso sauce for just a couple of minutes to barely cook the insides. They cook super quick – and turn tough/rubbery if you overdo it.
The mustard-miso sauce is savory and tangy. I love that hit of warm heat that grainy mustard gives! This is another miso recipe that I’ve developed for my client, Miso & Easy, makers of convenient miso in a bottle. If you don’t have Miso & Easy, just use regular miso paste (I prefer low sodium white miso called Shiro Miso.)
The ingredients are simple – here they are!
Scallop with Mustard Miso Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds scallops
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Miso & Easy (or 2 tablespoons miso paste + 2 tablespoons water)
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 stalk green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat a nonstick frying pan on medium-high heat. Swirl in the olive oil. Add the scallops and cook for 1 minutes each side to brown. Remove the scallops from the pan to a plate and tent with tin foil to keep warm.
- Turn heat to medium and to the pan, add the butter, mirin, seasoned rice vinegar, soy sauce, miso, mustard and water. Stir well and when the sauce begins to bubble, add the browned scallops back into the pan to finish cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and scallion greens.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
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Scallop with Mustard Miso Sauce Recipe looks real good.
So bring me some :))
I love scallops and I have not thought to try them with miso and mustard, will certainly have to give them ago!!
The pics look fantastic too!!
scrapping = scraping
Clang! Clang-clang… Oops that’s just me banging and scrapping a spoon across the walls and into the edges of my lunch container. Man that sauce was good! Flashing back to this morning’s prep- followed the recipe but swapped in spicy mustard oil for the mustard, poured the scallops and sauce over French style lentils, dressed everything with a lot of scallion, showered in toasted black sesame seeds, then packed the protein-goodness for lunch. Thank you Steamy Kitchen!
Next time he says “You come back and see me again, you hear?” have a confused look on your face and say “I don’t understand I come here for the seafood not to see you” he’ll never say that again. Miso & Easy I guess sounds better then calling it Miso Easy 😉
Found your recipe last week and decided to make it last night. It was everything your blog claimed it would be. Delish! It came quite close to your pictures and absolutely yummy!
This looks absolutely heavenly. I drool over most everything on your blog but this really looks like something I would love. Can’t wait to try it.
Swoon! Seafood makes everything right with the world, especially perfectly cooked scallops. Next time show up in a blond wig and eighties blue eyeshadow, maybe he won’t recognize you or you’ll give him the heebs for once {wink} 😀
My husband loves scallops and unfortunately, I only know a few recipes involving scallops. I am thinking he has gotten tired of my baked scallops and is slowly looking for more options. Just in time…I am glad I have stumbled upon this post. I am sure my husband will love this. Thank you!
I am trying this tonight since I have all the ingredients (except the mirin for which I’ll use a little sugar in some white wine)!
If not using a non-stick, the vid embedded in this page is extremely helpful (couldn’t find a direct link to it):
http://www.houseboateats.com/2009/12/on-properly-heating-your-pan.html
What if the guy reads your story and next time you purchase seafood and he’s behind the counter, he just won’t let go at all?
S-C-a-R-r-Y! No Fish for YOU! Haha.
Thanks for sharing.
I think this is just right with all these flavors going on. This is something I would make. Love the mustard in there! So funny about your local supermarket fish monger 😉 I have that with the meat department at my local store. Then you are hoping they treat everyone like that! It reminds me of a scene from Hot in Cleveland when they were going to the hair salon and Betty White loved her guy and was trying to get Valerie Bertinelli to go to him and she said no his flirting just gives her the creeps, (he ended up being played by Regis) too funny!
Ugh. Creepy Fish Man. No good. I remember in college there was one particular creepy guy who worked at the grill who gave me the creeps, and whenever he was working I would get a sandwich or salad instead. Turns out I wasn’t the only one he was creepy to–he made a very lewd comment to a friend of mine who, rather than run and hide as I did, actually complained to management and he was fired. I was able to eat hot food again, hurrah!
Your fish man COULD just be being nice, but it’s better to avoid him if you feel at all creepy–even if you do have these fantastic scallops on the menu!
Love the way this sounds…especially the sauce! And I have been thinking of cooking with scallops lately…this must be a (very delicious) sign!
Stunning recipe and photos, Jaden! Holy smokes that looks great. Those scallops have just the perfect crusty edges.
PS: Avoiding eye contact and not telling you to come back and see me soon 😉
I know I’m an idiot, but can you tell me what exactly is Miso? You seem to have a lot of recipes lately with it. Where would one get it? Is it like a fish paste? What is it??
Fermented soybean paste!!
Mmm..must try this!
What a funny story! I have the same problem in the meat department, but I usually tough it out because they carry the freshest pork in town!
This recipe looks delicious! I’ve never tried using miso with scallops before so I’ll have to make it sometime this week.
I have always been to intimidated to cook scallops, but this recipe sounds amazing. Perhaps I will have to get over my fear of this little crustacean and give this recipe a try!
This looks amazing!! And there’s a guy in the meat dept at my grocery store that I totally avoid HAHA. I WISH curtis would try scallops, this will have to be one of those dinners where I make for me and he gets something else!
That’s funny! There is a guy in the produce section at my store that gives me the heebs. He always seems to appear out of nowhere to ask me if I need help and stands a little to close for comfort! If he ever asks if he can help with my melons, I might slap him . . .
This looks WONDERFUL! Recently turned my husband on to scallops, so I will be excited to try this.
oh that sauce sounds delicious! yum!!