These little seafood pancakes were inspired by a recipe I saw Jacques Pepin cook up; if you didn’t know already, that guy is my cooking hero. I put a bit of an Oriental spin on them and they came out almost like Korean seafood pancakes, which we love. I’m not sure this is a perfect recipe, but it’s pretty good!
Scallop Pancakes
~makes about 6-8 pancakes (depending on size)
Ingredients
- 4 oz Bay Scallops
- 4 oz Parsnip, small dice
- 1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1.25 oz Scallion Whites (about 3), sliced
- Kosher Salt & White Pepper
- 1 clove Garlic, crushed
- 3/4 cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 tsp. Curry Powder
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp. Scallion Greens, sliced
- 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
- Vegetable Oil for frying
Instructions
1. In a small, heavy-bottom sauce pot, saute parsnip with a good amount of kosher salt over low heat in oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add scallops, garlic, white part of scallions, and white pepper. Cook until scallops start to get a bit of color. Remove all contents to a bowl, reserve.
2. In same sauce pot, melt butter with 1 tbsp. of the flour. Stir continuously over a low heat, to create a roux. Continually stir for about 4 minutes. Stir in milk & curry powder, until well combined. Add back reserved scallop mixture along with remaining flour. Continue to stir until thoroughly combined and very thick. Remove from heat. Use a stick blender to puree until fairly smooth. Stir in baking powder and scallion greens.
3. Press about 2 tablespoons at a time into a small frying pan with plenty of vegetable oil in it. Try to get the pancake very flat. As soon as slightly cooked on the bottom (about 20-30 seconds), flip once and flatten again. Cook for about 60 seconds, and flip again. Cook another 45 seconds. Don’t overcook.
4. Serve with Sriracha (chili-garlic sauce) and extra scallions.
I also tried baking a few. They came out pretty good, with a slightly dryer texture. Jessica preferred the fried. To bake, just throw them on a baking sheet at 375 degrees F for 9 minutes per side.
I saw that same episode w/ JP. I wanted to make them. Now I’m not sure which recipe to try first. His seemed a little simpler if memory serves.
BTW, I am prepared to put this on the record, JP has the most impressive knife skills of anyone I have ever seen. He is the master of technique.
you need to stop posting. you keep making me hungry.
It’s a bit hard to tell for certain which of the celebrity chefs have the best knife skills, because they only demonstrate some of them on tv. That said, I think overall Pepin has the best technique, but if I was to give the best knife skills title out 1st place would go to Japanese Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai (the French one). And 2nd place would go to Martin Yan (of “Yan Can Cook” fame). That guy is sick. ‘chop chop chop’. But then third would go to Pepin. But I’ll repeat, he is my chef hero.
Pearl – It is my job to make you hungry!! Mayhem ahoy!
Those look so good!
Did you know that Jacques Pepin has a master’s in French poetry? I just did some translation work of his literary criticism. He’s as smart as he is inventive in the kitchen!
Wow EMC, we didn’t know.
There was a chef instructor at my culinary school who was rumored to be the former private chef to the mafia and also a published poet.
These look great! Pretty simple but extra yummy!
your pancake served with sriracha looks a bit like a flying bird, or is that just me… 🙂
Grace, I see that!
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