Sometimes I’m in the mood to recreate those awesome fried golden scallop nuggets I have loved my whole life at a seaside clam shack—actually one particular, teeny tiny shack: The Bite in the town of Menemsha on Martha’s Vineyard stands out. I have tried and tried to get their method right. Finally, after many efforts, here is the closest I have come to crunchy golden fried scallops without having a mega–deep fryer. The nice thing about doing it yourself is that there is no line of tourists ahead of you, and no seagulls dive-bombing overhead. Once I was there when a wild skunk hung around my feet looking for scraps! These scallops are best served while gathered around the stove and eaten just as soon as they come out of the pan.
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup corn _ our
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 pound medium sea scallops, about 1 inch wide (large scallops halved)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Lemon wedges
- Tartar sauce
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the corn flour, all-purpose flour, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the milk and scallops and stir well.
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F. Set a rack for draining over a large rimmed baking sheet and place near the stove.
- Line half of it with paper towels. Also, have ready a large handheld strainer or Chinese netted scoop. To fry the scallops in small batches, lift a handful of scallops from the milk and shake off excess. Drop the scallops into the flour mixture and shake over the bowl to remove excess coating. Add the scallops to the hot oil and let sit for about 20 seconds without moving them. Use spoon to gently stir the scallops just to separate them. If they are moved too much, the scallops’ liquid might release. Fry for about 2 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
- Quickly drain the scallops on the paper towel side of the rack and then push them to the other half of the rack. Repeat with the remaining scallops. Check the flour mixture and remove any lumps that may have formed before coating the next batch. Serve right away with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
BEN SARGENT is the host of Hook, Line & Dinner on the Cooking Channel and has been featured in the New York Times and numerous media outlets. He is the creator of the cult alter-ego personality “Doctor Klaw” and is the founder of the Brooklyn Fishing Derby. Ben is a graduate of Skidmore College and lives in Brooklyn.
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