Seaweed Sprinkles

I had a call from our ‘fish guy’ the other evening announcing the arrival of some fresh scallops and asking if I wanted any. I managed to not shout down the phone in glee, and calmly replied that yes, we would indeed like some scallops the following day.

My brother swears that scallops shouldn’t be eaten if they have been cooked - plain and raw is the way forward for him. My mother is all for Scallops on the Half Shell - cooked on a scallop shell with butter, milk and cracker crumbs. In England, it is pretty trendy to serve scallops with the love it or hate it black pudding and served with everything from apple chutney or minted pea puree to risotto or mashed potatoes. This treatment, as far as I am concerned, is sacrilege. Who wants a stinking disc of fried bloody porridge served along something so sublime as a fresh scallop. Some believe simple is best and feel that all this sea candy, as my nephew calls them, requires is a hot pan and a lot of butter.

I tend to fall somewhere between my brother and simplicity, not leaving much room for playing around. Given this, you would think I would not have been kept awake by thoughts of scallop preparation and supper plans for tomorrow’s supper. I was thinking of ceviche but I was also thinking of scallops inspired by something I had recently read about.

In Apples to Oysters, Margaret Webb visits Dark Harbour on Grand Manan Island in New Brunswick to learn about what is considered to be the best dulse in the world. Now, I am no raving fan of dulse. I find that its almost fishy sea taste reminds me of a milder version of some concentrated organic fertilizer I had that was made from fermented fish and seaweed. I don’t enjoy the texture of big pieces of the dried stuff as it rehydrates in my mouth. So, it was a surprise that during our blue potato bonanza, I put a bag of dulse in the basket with the spuds and apples.

This stuff is good for you, chock full of vitamins and nutrients. Dulse kept the inhabitants of Port Royal scurvy free after they were introduced to it by First Nations peoples. It is impossible to overpick because of its regeneration cycle. There is no impact from chemical fertilizers, there is no unwanted byproduct of its production and, other than its picking, there is no labour involved in its growing. Could it be the perfect food? Maybe, if we can solve that sticky problem of taste and texture.

Webb gives brief details of drying the dulse out further and crumbling it to flakes for sprinkling in chowder, frying it to use as bacon in a BLT and microwaving it to make chips.

I was thinking about pan seared scallops with dulse sprinkles. Sprinkles make everything taste better. And, dulse sprinkles make everything taste oceanier.

Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Dulse Sprinkles

1 ounce dulse 

1 pound fresh scallops

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 325º. 

Spread dulse on a baking sheet and bake in oven until colour starts to change, 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven, as it cools it will crisp up. Put dulse in a food processor, if you are a bit lazy like me, and pulse until it is in small flakes. You get some dulse dust this way but I think that works well here. If you aren’t so lazy, and don’t mind the prickliness, rub dulse between hands until it is flaked. Set aside.

Remove the tough ‘catch muscle’ on the side of the scallops. It will pull off quite easily.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat olive oil and butter over high heat. Depending on the size of the pan you are using, this could be too much and you will need to have less in the pan to get the scallops to sear properly. I just poured about 2/3 of the olive oil and butter into a dish and saved it for finishing the scallops.

Put the scallops in the pan, make sure there are not too many, or they will not sear properly. If your pan is small, sear them in two batches. Turn as soon as the first side is a bit browned. This should take less than a minute of your pan is hot enough. Sear the second side and transfer to a serving plate. Quickly heat any extra oil and butter in the scallop pan and pour over scallops.

Sprinkle with dulse flakes, and a little dust, and serve.

Comments

[sweetsalty kate]

Really? Just a minute on each side? I didn't know that. I must have always used a lower heat, and done more of a simmer than a sear. Will try this next time. Even the dust sounds interesting.. and I was only peripherally aware of all those benefits.

Justin eats dulse right out of the bag. But Justin also eats smoked oysters right out of tin. Fifty feet away from the house, with me shooing him out with a very shrill voice. Naturally.

[Mariana]

hola Leah
Your food always looks sooooo great, the thing is that I KNOW it taste great too, Im glad Rob doesnt look at blog, he could get ideas that cooking like that is possible with 2 little ones! how do you do it? : )

I sent you a "long" letter a few weeks ago and havent heard back.
are yo still checking your facebook? Should I send it to another address?

cheers ,Mariana

[Leah]

Kate, I would totally eat smoked oysters out of the tin but dulse out of the bag, no way! And yep, just a minute but you need lots of heat.
And Mariana, contact Kate, above, for the blueprints to the velcro wall. It's guaranteed to free up a couple of hours a day, at least.