Fresh Queen Scallop (whole)

Fresh Queen Scallop (Whole)

⚠️ Please read before ordering: these are wild scallops sold whole in the shell, exactly as they come out of the sea. There is sand and grit inside the shell, and you will need to open and clean them yourself. That is normal for an unprocessed wild scallop — it is not a fault, and we cannot accept returns on it. If you would rather skip the cleaning, please choose our scallop meat instead.

Whole scallops, shell closed, sold fresh — not frozen and not shucked. The meat, the roe and all of the natural liquor are still sealed inside the two shells. A closed shell is the honest freshness test: a fresh scallop holds itself shut. It also means nothing has been trimmed away or soaked, so the flavour is fuller and sweeter than anything opened, washed and packed.

🐚 Why whole in the shell

• Freshness you can see — the shell is still closed, so the condition is not taken on trust.
• Nothing lost — meat, roe and natural juices all still inside.
• Sweeter flavour — never soaked or water-treated.
• The shell is the dish — keep the cupped half and it plates itself.
• Roe on — the orange coral adds a richness meat-only scallops do not have.

🧼 Opening and cleaning — please do this first

• Slide a blunt knife along the flat shell to release the muscle, then lift the flat shell away.
• Free the meat and roe from the cupped half, and keep that cupped shell — it is the serving dish.
• Remove the dark stomach sac and the frilly skirt, and pull off the small tough side muscle.
• Rinse the meat, the roe and the shell under cold running water until no grit is left. Wild scallops feed on the sea floor, so there will be sand — take the time here.
• Drain well and pat dry before cooking.

🔥 How to cook them

• Garlic and vermicelli steamed — soaked glass noodles and minced garlic over the scallop in its half shell, steam 5 minutes, finish with hot oil. The banquet classic.
• Pan seared — pat dry, butter and garlic until golden, crisp at the edge and soft in the middle.
• Chargrilled — straight onto the barbecue in the half shell, a squeeze of lemon at the end.
• Cheese grilled — a little cheese and butter, under a hot grill until blistered.
• Clear soup — the scallop and its liquor into a light broth with ginger and shallot.

Cooking note: scallops are done in a few minutes and toughen quickly after that. Watch for the meat turning opaque and stop there.

Storage: keep refrigerated at 0–4°C and cook the day you receive them. Discard any shell that is already gaping and will not close when tapped.

Allergen note: contains molluscs.

Fresh in the shell, sand and all — the way a wild scallop actually arrives.