I love a well-cooked scallop. These sweet little morsels from the sea take on flavours brilliantly, and this recipe pairs them with a savoury miso glaze that brings out their natural sweetness.
I stumbled upon this combination a few years back after getting my hands on some fresh scallops from our local fishmonger. The miso paste had been sitting in my fridge for ages, and I thought it would be perfect.
The dish itself is straightforward. You’re essentially making a quick marinade with Asian flavours – Shaoxing rice wine, miso, soy, ginger and garlic – that coats the scallops before a quick sear in the pan. The key is not to overcook the scallops; they need just a minute or two on each side until they’re golden brown outside and just opaque in the centre.
Serving them on a bed of earthy puy lentils creates a lovely contrast in both texture and flavour. The lentils soak up any extra marinade and provide a substantial base that turns what could be just a starter into a proper main meal.
The fresh coriander garnish adds a bit of colour and a herby note that cuts through the richness of the dish. If you’re not keen on coriander, flat-leaf parsley works grand too.
What I like most about this recipe is that it feels special without requiring hours in the kitchen. From start to finish, you can have it on the table in about 20 minutes, which makes it perfect for a midweek treat or an impressive but stress-free dinner for friends.
The flavours are bold but balanced, and there’s a lovely umami depth from the miso that makes everything taste that bit more satisfying. Give it a go next time you spot some nice scallops at the shop.
Miso-Glazed Scallops with Puy Lentils
Ingredients
- 12-16 scallops, cleaned and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 200g cooked puy lentils
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for cooking
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- In a small bowl, mix together the Shaoxing rice wine, miso paste, soy sauce, ginger paste and garlic paste to make a marinade.
- Pat the scallops dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Brush half of the marinade onto the scallops, reserving the other half.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat until hot.
- Place the scallops in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown and just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook.
- Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining marinade to the same pan, stirring for about 30 seconds until it bubbles and thickens slightly.
- Return the scallops to the pan and gently coat them in the sauce.
- Meanwhile, warm the puy lentils in a separate pan.
- Spoon the warm lentils onto serving plates and place the glazed scallops on top.
- Pour any remaining sauce from the pan over the scallops.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve immediately.
