What in the world is so hard about cooking scallops? I know my Gordon is beyond understanding the trouble the contestants are having with them in Hell’s Kitchen. They are either raw or overcooked. Rubbery or cold. Not seared enough or seared too much. It’s maddening for all concerned. Even me for having to watch it.
So I decided to do a bit of investigating on the web to try to find out why making this shellfish (mollusk, actually) seems akin to rocket surgery. Here’s what I found out …
They are rather tricky little devils!
You have to dry them well before searing, or they get a bad consistency. Season them evenly! The pan has to be broiling hot. (I don’t know about you, but already I’m out because oil in hot pans causes my heart to flutter in a pre-cardiac arrest kinda deal.)
Shaking or touching them is frowned upon, or they won’t evenly caramelize. You can’t fuss with them too much. They don’t like that. But you have to fuss with them juuuust enough. Get them off the heat when they’re the perfect light brown color …
See what I mean? They’re tiny ratbastards!
Now I have a better idea why the “almost sorta” chefs on the show are hanging by their toenails over these things. Tonight, Clemenza had a horrific time on the fish station. Not only with the Tiny Ratbastards of the Sea, but with the swordfish too.
Why didn’t he go home instead of Guy?
You tell me. I don’t follow my Gordon’s line of thinking here. Yes. Guy was watching the bathing suits with bones in them slither their way down the catwalk in the dining room. And his pan caught fire. So? Guy’s a red blooded male. It happens.
Oh and he messed up and gave Gordon cold meat. I’ve seen way worse. To me? Clemenza precooking fish before the kitchen even opened was ridiculously “anti-Ramsay!” He cooks everything to order people! Clemenza got flustered. And somehow we ended up with “sixteen plus one” swordfish. (That may have been Royce’s fault, but I’m not sure why it happened at all.) Yes. Clemenza was responsible for a lot of the apps and entrees this time around. He choked.
He should be gone.
Some Declarative Sentences Before I Go:
Tiffany is a snake in the grass.
Royce needs to change his whole personality and stop bugging me.
“Pigeons” are really squabs.
Christina is the Red Team’s only hope.
I need to start calling people “silly cows.”
And lastly?
This group seems more afraid of My Gordon than any on previous seasons. Courage!
Clacked by Tara Shrodes
on Jun 26, 2012 @ 00:27 EST5EDT
I wish they would say “squab” instead of “pigeon,” especially when talking to the customers. May as well say, “I’m sorry, ma’am, we ran out of meat but I’ll fry you up some flying rat instead.”
. . . . .
I’m right there with you, Ruby.
And … scallops aren’t that difficult to prepare. Basic: Hot oil, season them properly, keep an eye on them … done!
Interestingly enough, the searing process you describe is essentially the searing process for every piece of meat, just with different cooking times. AKA, it’s not that hard. Heck, it’s a lot harder to sear things like chicken that are bigger and absolutely need to be at a certain temperature before serving… then you usually have to slide it into a hot oven to cook all the way. Big pieces of beef are hard too because it can be touch flipping the meat when it IS ready. But tiny scallops? Yeah, not too bad.
Well, it looks like some of the CC writing staff should apply for Hell’s Kitchen next season if scallops are so darned easy to cook! :-) I had a scallop once … it was wretched.
. . . . .
*glares at Chuck*
:-P
*POST AUTHOR*
Who’s your buddy? Who’s your pal?
Chuck.