Inside the Shell
Chef Otto Phan of Kyōten's hot and cold scallop dish proves that everything on the inside counts.
Chefs almost always flex the scallop’s muscle, but as Chef Otto Phan proves, there’s even more to this shellfish than the rich, tender meat that we’ve come to know. At Kyōten, he aims to utilize as much of the fresh Maine Bay scallop as possible, innards and all. “Some of the innards are too strong,” Phan says. “But these small scallops are quite pleasant, a bit like escargot.” Here, he demonstrates how he shucks, divides, and prepares his scallops for this hot and cold dish (full recipe here)
Phan shucks the scallop open, revealing the white, round muscle encased in its outer mantle. The transparent skin shows the scallop’s innards—the charcoal-colored liver and wing-like gills.
Using his fingers, Phan separates the scallop’s muscle from its innards.
The muscle gets treated to a quick cure of lemon juice, salt, and yuzu kosho.
Meanwhile, the innards are sautéed in butter with a roasted green almond purée that tones down their funky flavor.
Phan removes the green-almond-coated scallop innards from the pot and delicately slices into their cores, removing the orange gonads.
The cured scallop muscle is plated beside the innards. They’re finished with fresh garlic blossoms and chive flowers and, for a final touch of fat, a drizzle of olive oil.
