One thing is certain about this dish: it turns heads. Your family members or dinner guests will ooh and ahh when these incredibly aesthetic scallops arrive on the table. It’s a crowd-pleasing seafood dish that will have everyone whipping out their phones to take pictures.
It’s hard not to admire the natural presentation, even if you’re cooking for yourself. It’s almost as if nature wants us to admire the beauty of food and enjoy it in a way that is healthy and delicious.
Serve as an appetizer, starter or enjoy it as a main course. Either way, you can’t go wrong with these perfectly seasoned scallops.
A traditional Peruvian dish, Conchitas a la Parmesana, or “grilled scallops with grated parmesan,” consists of scallops seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, butter, salt, pepper, lemon, lime, and pisco, a brandy made from distilled wine or fruit juice.
Then cover the scallop meat with a layer of Parmesan, bake or grill until the cheese is golden brown, and garnish with parsley or cilantro.
Served with lemon or lime wedges on the side, I usually serve this delicious fish dish as an appetizer or as finger food.
This elegant appetizer needs few ingredients and only takes about 15 minutes to prepare.
The list of ingredients
- Half shelled scallops – fresh or frozen.
- Salt and pepper – to enhance flavours.
- Worcestershire sauce – characterized by a strong umami taste.
- Butter: Provides a smooth, silky feel and rich flavor.
- Half a lime or lemon: helps to “clean” the scallop and remove any bad odors.
- Parmesan – gives the dish a bold, nutty flavor.
- Coriander or parsley – as garnish
Quick tips
- Add the butter on top of the white meat so that it melts all over the meat instead of putting the butter on the side.
- Serve the freshly baked Conchitas a la Parmesana. If your guests are running a little late, simply place the Conchitas alla Parmesana in the oven and heat them for 2 – 3 minutes or until hot.
- When storing scallop parmigiana, if you have any leftovers, remove the pulp from the shell and store it in an airtight container. Place in the refrigerator. Leftovers can last in the refrigerator for a day or three.
- To reheat, place the scallops on a tray or ceramic plate and cover the top with aluminum foil. Heat for 7 – 10 minutes at 150°C or 305°F or just until hot.
Step by step photos
Step 1: Prepare the scallops by extracting the white pulp from each one, which forms the core of the scallop. Rinse thoroughly before placing them on a foil-lined baking tray.
Step 2: Season each scallop individually. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper and about 1/8 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Place a knob of butter on top and add a squeeze of lime juice.
Step 3: Sprinkle each scallop generously with grated Parmesan cheese, about 1 tablespoon per scallop. Don’t overdo it, though, because you want the flavor of the scallops to stand out.
Step 4: Cook the scallops for 5 – 7 minutes in a preheated 450°F oven. The perfect sign of “done” is when the Parmesan turns golden brown.
Step 5: Garnish the scallops with parsley or cilantro for an extra touch of freshness. Accompany with a slice of lemon or lime.
Tips for cleaning scallops the right way.
Clean them when you get them fresh from the market. Or, if you buy frozen half-shelled scallops at the grocery store, simply thaw them before processing.
- If you buy the whole scallop rather than the half-shelled one, peel the top part with a blunt knife. You can make cooking easier by purchasing shelled scallops.
- Using a knife, remove the “belly” or “liver” of the scallop (the pouch on the side of the scallop near the tip. It can often be filled with sand, so you will definitely need to remove it).
- The scallop’s gills and shroud (the thin string-like meat around the scallop) taste muddy, so remove them.
- It’s up to you to decide whether to keep or remove the eggs or coral (the pink part under the scallop). It has a robust flavor and some people like to save this part for presentation.
- All that remains is the white part or “adductor muscle”, what we commonly call scallops with or without eggs.
- Don’t worry if you accidentally get the whole scallop. Place it back on the shell; the cheese and other ingredients will cover any errors.
- Make sure no bits of sand remain by rinsing them one by one in running water.
- Lightly dab a towel on the surface to dry (optional)
Alternatives and FAQs
Can you use other shelled seafood?
You can use any type of scallop, such as Atlantic, Hokkaido or Japanese scallops, oysters or even clams or muscles.
Other options and dairy-free alternatives to parmesan
Parmesan has a bold, nutty, tangy flavor. Here are some alternatives:
- Pecorino Romano has a similar texture and almost the same flavor.
- Manchego
- Asiago
- You can make your own parmesan by mixing cashews and nutritional yeast and adding garlic or onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- For dairy-free alternatives, try Daiya’s Parmesan, which has great reviews and is available almost everywhere
- All about vegan cashew parmesan or smoked parmesan
Can you use frozen scallops for Conchitas a la Parmesana?
If you can’t find the scallops at the market, buy half-shelled scallops at the supermarket, defrost them, clean and remove the inedible parts of the scallops before rinsing them under running water, before adding the other ingredients, dry them with a cloth. For convenience, you can also use sushi scallops or frozen unshelled scallops.
Do you like scallops? Try our delicious Peruvian scallop ceviche platter. Perfect for warm summer evenings.
Print recipe
Parmesan shells
Grilled scallops au gratin with parmesan. Add a tangy blend of Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of lime and a touch of butter. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity, which requires only a few key ingredients, and its ability to amaze.
Portions: 12 pieces
Instructions
-
Clean the scallops, leaving only the central part or the white pulp. Wash it under running water before placing it on a baking tray lined with foil.
-
On each scallop, add a pinch of salt and pepper, a drop or about 1/8 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, garnish with 1/8 teaspoon of butter and season with half a lime.
-
Top and cover the scallop with about 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan. Make sure you don’t add too much so you can still taste the scallop.
-
Bake in a preheated oven at 450°F or 232°C for 5 – 7 minutes or until Parmesan is golden brown.
-
Garnish with parsley or cilantro, serve with a garnish of lemon or lime.
Peruvian foodie. I’ve been writing about the food of Peru for over 10 years. Read more about the Eat Peru team here
