Miso-Broiled Scallops

By Mark Bittman

Miso-Broiled Scallops
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(1,095)
Comments
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Miso, the traditional Japanese soybean paste, is one of those convenience foods whose complexity belies its ingredients: it contains only soybeans, salt and grain (usually rice or barley, though others are used too), inoculated with the Aspergillus orzyae bacteria and aged for up to three years. The production process is not unlike that for good hard cheese, and miso is frequently compared with Parmesan. It is equally complex, and both are known for the strong presence of umami, the Japanese word for the fifth taste (after salt, sour, sweet and bitter), roughly translated as ''deliciousness.'' Here, miso is combined with little more than scallops, then allowed to sit for a while before grilling or broiling. The combination and preparation are traditional, the equivalent of slathering something with barbecue sauce before cooking. Of course, miso is a far cry from barbecue sauce: its elegance is unmistakable.

Featured in: THE MINIMALIST; The Mystique Of Miso

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ½cup white miso
  • 2tablespoons mirin, fruity white wine or dry white wine
  • ½cup minced onion
  • Salt and cayenne pepper
  • 1½pounds scallops
  • Juice of one lime
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

204 calories; 3 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 25 grams protein; 1950 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put miso in a bowl. Add mirin or wine. Whisk until smooth, adding more mirin if needed. Stir in onion, a pinch of salt and of cayenne. Combine scallops, let sit 10 minutes. Cook right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to a day. When ready to cook, heat a broiler (or grill), setting the rack as close as possible to the heat source.

  2. Step 2

    Broil until lightly browned, without turning, 3 to 5 minutes, or grill, turning once after 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lime juice, and serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,095 user ratings
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Comments

Joe Magargee

Try using both your cast iron and the broiler (I think I got this technique from Alton Brown). Have your broiler pre-heated, and after a good 2-3 minute sear in the skillet, place under the broiler for another 2 minutes to finish.

Harriet

I get scallops from a stand at the Farmer's Market. I leave them on a baking tray with paper towels salt and pepper and then pat them again once they are at room temperature. I always use a hot cast iron skillet-- but you can't crowd them in the pan. I never have a problem. They get nice and brown after 3-4 minutes, less if they are on the small side. Always perfect.

Stephen

I let the scallops sit in the refrigerator for several hours, uncovered part of the time (contrary to the directions). Even though I had bought dry-packed scallops, the cold seemed to dry them further and helped later with the browning process. Even so, they needed almost 4 minutes to brown lightly. They weren't overcooked at all, but I was afraid to leave them under the heat any longer. We were quite pleased with the flavor and texture.

abm

Large dry scallops from Jordan’s. 1/2 medium onion minced. Followed recipe for a change… took 6 minutes for them to look done since they were big. Used quarter sheet pan. Served with marinated artichokes and sourdough bread with butter. French Chardonnay Fast, simple and easy. Tasted delicious and complicated

Ruth

I added some extra mirin, because the marinade seemed to be too thick, and even with that, I found the results way too salty. I would not make this preparation again.

TJK

Made exactly as written, but wasn't clear if one was supposed to scrape all the marinade off. I ended up scraping off the bottom and drying on a paper towel but leaving a little on the top so it got browned. The scallops were nicely cooked and the flavor was excellent, but I think I prefer a cast iron skillet version. The one nice thing about broiling is I also threw a handful of skinny asparagus on the pan and they were perfectly cooked at the same time. Next time skillet I think though.

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