Why You Want Dry Scallops in Garlic Scape Pasta

If youve been to an upscale fishmonger lately, you may have seen them selling dry scallops. While you probably wouldnt want to order a dry pork chop or a dry slice of cake, in the case of scallops, dry in the label is a good thing.

Most sea scallops are treated with phosphates to help preserve them, but these chemicals also make the scallops absorb water. This is good for the people selling scallops, but its bad for you because youre essentially paying for the extra water the scallops have absorbed. Aside from tasting watery, treated scallops also have a mushy texture, and leave a weird aftertaste.

When scallops are labeled as dry it means that they have not been chemically treated. The meat tends to be firmer with a delicate sweetness and savory flavor that sets off umami receptors on your tongue like lights in a pinball machine.

Of course the lower yield and shorter shelf-life means theyre going to cost more per pound, but if you consider the better taste, along with the fact that youre not paying for bloat, theyre definitely worth the premium.

The sweet crunchy garlic scapes are both a perfect compliment and contrast to the sweet tender scallops. With each strand of pasta coated with nutty Parmigiano Reggiano, and a lacquer of browned garlic flavored olive oil, its hard to believe that this simple spring pasta only takes about 10 minutes to make.

Just make sure you have all the measuring and prep done before you start, so that the scallops and pasta are done around the same time.