New England is known for its seafood, and we usually think of the heavy hitters, lobster, clams, shrimp. And while we love a good lobster roll or some fried clams, and shrimp is the most popular seafood in America, they’re not the only seafood out there. We want to take a look at another common seafood that we think belongs on the favorites list: scallops. You’ll often see scallops on a menu with seafood in NH —including ours at Bentley’s Roast Beef—but what are they exactly?

We’ll take a look at this underappreciated seafood in NH, what they are, and the best ways to eat them.

What are scallops?

We only ever see scallops as those little white nuggets, served either on their own or as part of a seafood dish. But what do they look like before they make it onto your plate? Well, scallops are shellfish, bivalves to be precise. A bivalve is a type of mollusk that has a body enclosed within two halves of a hinged shell. Oysters and clams are also bivalves. The muscle that opens and closes the hinged shell is the part that we eat.

How many kinds of scallops are there?

While there are several types of scallops, the two that you are most likely to find in a restaurant or your local fish market are sea scallops and bay scallops. Sea scallops are bigger and more popular than bay scallops. They are medallion-shaped and usually 1 ½ to 2 inches across. Sea scallops can be caught year-round in cold sea waters up to 200 meters deep. Bay scallops, on the other hand, are found in shallow water along the East Coast. They are more tender and smaller than sea scallops, usually about half an inch in diameter.

What’s the best way to eat scallops?

Now we’re getting to the good part. It’s best to cook scallops quickly, searing them at high heat. They are sometimes breaded and often cooked in garlic and butter. When breaded, they are usually baked and served with a lemon and butter sauce. You can also grill scallops, but that can be a little tricky. Scallops are a delicate seafood and can stick to the grill if it is not properly cleaned and seasoned first. However you cook them, you want to do it fast. Scallops become rubbery when they are overcooked. For an extra-New England way to eat scallops, try a scallop roll, inspired by the traditional lobster roll.

Seafood in NH at Bentley’s Roast Beef

Even though roast beef is our specialty, we love seafood in NH, too! We source the best quality local seafood. When you order seafood here, you’re always getting the real thing.

Craving seafood? Come visit us at 134 NH-101A in Amherst!