Miso-butter, glazed scallops with pak choi is a Japanese-influenced recipe. It uses an appetising flavoured butter to complement the natural sweetness of local scallops. Miso butter is an extremely versatile, umami-packed way of using miso. Once you have tried it, I think you will be adding it to lots of recipes. It helps impart a savoury, salty profile like using anchovies, with the benefit of being suitable for vegetarians.
I use local hand-dived scallops ( see below ) for the dish, along with some stir-fried pak choi. But you can serve the scallops with alternatives like Chinese leaf or Napa Cabbage; sauteed mange tout would work too. You can find miso paste in the Asian food section of your supermarket or in specialist retailers.
What is Miso?
Miso is a Japanese staple made from salted, fermented soybeans. It is packed with savoury umami flavours and is often made at home in special pots. There are lots of different types of miso, the flavours depending on the ingredients. These can include rice and barley. The amount of salt and the length of time the paste ferments will also affect the taste. Miso is high in protein, containing nine essential amino acids and a good source of vitamin K. As a fermented product, it may encourage good gut health. It does have a relatively high salt content.
Miso is used to make everything from soup to sweets. Miso soup is made with a flavoured broth called dashi. It makes a versatile dressing for salads and vegetables, and is even added to caramel for a salty kick. Miso butter can be used to flavour grilled and roasted vegetables. It is delicious with baked sweet potato and can be used to flavour chicken and fish dishes or simply left to melt over steamed rice.
What to drink with Miso butter glazed Scallops
The dish pairs well with a crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay. Fore a more traditional pairing, think about Saki. For beer, a Belgian-style Witbier with its citrus and spicy coriander notes would go down really well.
Why choose diver-caught Scallops?
Diver-caught scallops are a premium, low-impact alternative to commercial dredged scallops. Dredged scallops cause intensive damage to the seabed and the local marine environment. As the name suggests, a diver collects the scallops from the seabed. Around three hundred are collected into a specially constructed net. This is then floated to the surface. Around a quarter of Jersey’s scallops are now certified as hand-dived. There is a distinctive logo that can be seen in shops and restaurants stocking them.
Miso-butter glazed Scallops with Pak Choi
You can prepare the miso butter in advance and in larger quantities. It will store wrapped tightly in the fridge, or in rolls wrapped in greaseproof paper and silver foil in the freezer. You can choose to trim the roe from the scallops or leave them on if you prefer. I like to serve the dish with plain rice.
Miso-butter glazed Scallops with Pak Choi
Ingredients
For the miso butter
- 125 gr unsalted Jersey Butter at room temperature
- 25 gr white miso paste
For the scallops
- 400 gr prepared diver-caught Scallops
- 50 gr Miso Butter
- 1 splash Vegetable Oil
- Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
For the miso sauce
- 50 gr Miso Butter
- 60 ml Water
- 1 tablespoon of Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 clove Garlic peeled and crushed
- A splash of Rice Wine or Dry Sherry
For the pak choi
- 2- 3 Pak Choi washed and dried
- 25 ml Vegetable Oil
- Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
- Half a teaspoon of Black Sesame Seeds to garnish
Equipment
- A heavy-bottomed frying pan
Instructions
- For the miso butter mix the ingredients in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
- To cook the scallops heat half of the butter and a splash of oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Season the scallops. When the butter is bubbling but not burning, sear half the scallops until brown and flip over, set aside and keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining scallops.
- Keep the pan over the heat and add the extra miso butter and garlic. Scrape the pan bottom with a wooden spatula and add the water, soy sauce and rice wine. Simmer for two to three minutes to incorporate the ingredients and slightly reduce the sauce.
- Heat the remaining oil in a separate pan and sauté the pak choi. When the pak choi stems start to turn translucent, carefully remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Season.
- Assemble the scallops and pak choi on a plate with some steamed rice and dress with the sauce and sesame seeds.
Notes
Check Soy sauce for Gluten
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