Scallops

In earlier times, scallops were not as favored as other shellfish. In more recent times, a substantial commercial fishery for scallops has developed on the East Coast and in the Pacific Northwest. Scallops are increasingly the object of aquaculture. The fishery usually is conducted in winter, and scallopers refit their boats for that purpose. Two types of scallop, the large sea scallop and the smaller bay scallop, are preferred for eating. Although the whole scallop is edible, the American market prefers only the muscle that enables the scallop to scoot around the seabed. This preference dates to the nineteenth century, when scallops were cleaned and sold shelled. Scallops are cleaned at sea, and most are sautéed quickly for entrées, incorporated into fish stews and chowder, or skewered and grilled. Scallops also can be eaten raw.