Sea scallops: composition, useful properties. How to cook sea scallop. Sea scallops - benefits and harms

Scallops- one of the types of bivalve mollusks that live in all the deep seas of the globe. They move in the water column with the help of flapping shells.

Almost all subspecies scallops eaten, and shells are used in decorative matters. It is a very valuable product and is considered a delicacy. In connection with the demand for mollusks, they learned to grow them on special farms. France, Indonesia and some islands in the Pacific Ocean are considered leaders in production. The scallop meat itself is located in the middle of the shell and is surrounded by vital elements (leg and mantle) that provide life support.

Only the muscle is suitable for eating. Sea scallops contain many beneficial vitamins, trace elements and essential amino acids, which makes them a valuable food product that can bring great benefits to the body. The mollusk is used in many cuisines of the world, but more often in French. Prepared in the form of snacks, salads, you can eat marinated or raw. It tastes sweet, the structure is sinewy, a little with mucus (typical for seafood), the meat is very tender, up to 5 cm in diameter. Scallops are a low-calorie product, perfect for ladies who look after their figure. In terms of calories, they almost coincide with mussels, oysters and octopus. In all countries they are sold fresh, frozen, and sometimes pickled.

Scallop calories (100 g)

Vitamin content in scallop meat (100 g)

The presence of macro- and microelements (100 g)

Essential and non-essential amino acids (100 g)

Benefits of eating sea scallops

• is valuable dietary product, can facilitate the fight against excess weight;
• improves metabolism;
• The presence of iodine, potassium and calcium in the composition of the scallop is useful for the treatment and prevention of diseases associated with soft and fragile bone tissue. Calcium in the composition of shellfish meat is completely absorbed, unlike medicinal analogues;
• useful for lowering cholesterol levels in the blood;
• vitamins of group B will strengthen the walls of blood vessels and the muscle of the heart, normalize blood pressure;
• able to overcome depression and chronic fatigue;
• strengthens the vessels of the eyeball, reduces eye inflammation;
• iodine and phosphorus in scallops is useful for normalizing thyroid function, improving brain function, with frequent mental stress, these elements can improve memory;
• in its composition it has a large amount of protein, which will help to fill the body's need (for the construction of new fibers, cells, muscle tissue) without harm to the figure. It is very easily absorbed and is not deposited in the form of fatty tissues;
• for men, they will be useful in case of disruption of the reproductive system, reduced potency. Scallop meat has long been considered an aphrodisiac;
• for women, this mollusk is useful as an extract of youth, strengthens nails, saturates hair with collagen, and improves skin condition. A high level of arginine will help to cope with mimic wrinkles, improve general condition.

Contraindications and harm to human health

• contraindicated in case of excessive level of calcium in the body (with systemic consumption of scallops);
• chronic problems with the thyroid gland, before use, you need to consult a doctor;
• shellfish meat is capable of accumulating harmful substances and toxins, therefore it can be harmful to health. Before use, be sure to check the freshness of the product. The scallop should have a pale pink color (or milky) without third-party musty odors;
• do not forget about individual intolerance to the product.

The scallop shell is associated with the feminine principle and the water from which all living things came. The ancient Roman goddess Venus (aka the ancient Greek goddess Aphrodite) according to legend was born from the foam of the sea and came out of the sea in the shell of a scallop. The shell of this mollusk is also a symbol of the Apostle James (in France - Jacques), who made a pilgrimage to Spain. A wide variety of women's jewelry and interior items are made from the shells of this mollusk.

But scallops are not only a symbol of fertility and femininity, but also a valuable marine delicacy product. Sea scallops have been eaten since ancient times. In the Middle Ages, they were eaten during long fasts. In modern french cuisine This delicacy is present in many dishes.

What it is

Scallops are bivalves found in all oceans and many seas. They have shells with sashes of different shapes and sizes. With the growth of the mollusk, their shells also grow: additional ribs are added to their surface or existing ones are bifurcated.

These are bottom dwellers. Burrowing into the sand, they filter, catching plankton and small crustaceans from it. In one hour, a small scallop (up to 4 cm in diameter) is able to pass through itself up to 3 liters of water.

The scallop is very mobile. Quickly opening and slamming the shell valves, the mollusk moves along the bottom in leaps and bounds, running away from its main enemy - the starfish, or rises from the bottom into the water column.

Inside the shell there is a muscle-contact (actually clam meat) and a coral - a caviar bag. Along the edge of the mantle of the shell, the mollusk has tentacles - organs of touch and about a hundred small eyes that can grow again after loss.

Several types of scallops are of commercial importance: Japanese (the largest), Scottish, Icelandic, coastal, Black Sea, Chilean red. On an industrial scale, these mollusks are caught in the North, Norwegian, Japanese and other northern seas. Every year, up to 12 million tons of these delicious products are mined in the world.

Chemical composition

The meat of scallops 3/4 consists of water. It is not only an exquisite delicacy, but also a source of easily digestible and mineral substances. The meat of this clam is rich in:

• complete protein - up to 17.5%;
• - up to 2%;
• - until 3%;
• vitamins;

Shellfish protein is complete. This means that it contains essential amino acids that are necessary for a person to build their own protein molecules, but are not synthesized in the human body themselves. Eight are essential for an adult human body, and two more for a child - arginine and histidine.

The composition of scallop fats includes both saturated fatty acids and, including omega-3 and omega-6. The presence of omega acids compensates for the rather high cholesterol content in these mollusks, binding it in the blood and preventing its deposition in the vascular walls.

There are few carbohydrates in scallops, so its meat can be considered a product for diabetics. The glycemic index of scallop is 0.

The meat of scallops is a source of minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. In terms of iodine content, these mollusks are leaders among seafood.

These mollusks do not lag behind in terms of the amount of vitamins in them. They contain large amounts of vitamins A, E and.

Sea scallops is low and ranges from 88 to 92 kcal per 100 g of mollusk (depending on its type).

Healing properties

The amino acid, fatty and vitamin-mineral composition of scallops determines its healing effect on the organs and tissues of the human body. The meat of these mollusks with its frequent use in food:

• has an anti-atherosclerotic effect;
• increases the elasticity of the vascular walls;
• helps to lower blood pressure;
• exhibits anti-ischemic action;
• normalizes the work of the endocrine and immune systems in the body;
• improves microcirculation in tissues;
• increases the vitality of the body;
• increases stress resistance;
• has a general sedative effect;
• promotes the production of sex hormones.

In addition, the meat of this mollusk has a beneficial effect on the metabolism in the human body:

• saturates the blood and thyroid colloid with organic iodine;
• normalizes blood levels;
• improves calcium-phosphorus metabolism in the body;
• reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood;
• has a positive effect on fat metabolism;
• improves the condition of the skin and its appendages.

Low calorie content with the usefulness of the composition of the meat of these mollusks is used in dietetics. Regular use of this product has a positive effect on the body of those who lose weight during their stay on a diet.

Athletes are shown the use of scallops before the competition to dry the body, because they contain a lot of useful protein, which contains all the essential amino acids.

Medicinal use

Sea scallops improve the health of people suffering from various pathologies, therefore they are recommended for use in:

• atherosclerosis;
• arterial hypertension;
• ischemic heart disease;
• sensitivity disorders;
• disorders of cerebral circulation;
• diabetes mellitus;
• hypofunction of the thyroid gland;
• rheumatism;
• osteoporosis and osteomalacia;
• obesity.

A feature of these mollusks is that with a sufficiently high protein content in their meat, they do not increase the amount of purine bases in the blood, so they can be eaten even by people suffering from urolithiasis and gout.

• after a long illness;
• in old and senile age;
• weakened;
• pregnant women;
• losing weight;
• children over 7 years old.

In depressive states and frequent stressful situations, scallop meat minerals have an antidepressant and analeptic (mood-enhancing) effect.

Harmful properties

For all their usefulness, scallops can also be fraught with danger in certain diseases and conditions.

In hyperthyroidism, the iodine contained in the product causes an increase in the production of thyroid hormones, which can lead to a thyrotoxic crisis.

Individual intolerance to the meat of these shellfish is a contraindication to their use, because it can cause severe allergic reactions in humans, up to anaphylactic shock.

Scallops should not be eaten by people who have high levels of calcium and phosphorus in their blood.

Like all other seafood, scallops can accumulate mercury in their meat. The content of mercury in their meat is much less than, for example, in meat, crab or predatory sea ​​fish but it's in it. According to the recommendations of Canadian doctors who studied the problem of methylmercury in the meat of crustaceans, mollusks and fish of the seas and oceans, it is undesirable to consume scallops more than 2-3 times a week. In this case, one serving should not weigh more than 150 g.

How to choose

Sea scallops are a very perishable product, therefore, in stores in countries located far from the place where these mollusks are caught, they can rarely be found chilled.

More often, stores sell quick-frozen scallops with shells or previously peeled from them. When buying a frozen product, preference should be given to shellfish in a purified form and vacuum-packed. When cleaning the scallops, the intestines are also removed along with the shells, which reduces the likelihood of spoilage of the product. Buying shellfish by weight is not a very good option, as they quickly lose moisture, becoming dry and inedible.

The advantages of vacuum packaging scallops are:

• the presence of the original branded label of the manufacturer with the present date of manufacture;
• preservation of the original appearance and juiciness of the product;
• lack of airspace (prevents spoilage of the product);
• the minimum layer of ice glaze on the product (the amount of balance moisture in the product does not increase);
• protection against foreign odors;
• long shelf life.

Frozen clams in vacuum packaging are stored at temperatures from -12°C to -18°C for up to 6 months, while quick-frozen clams without vacuum packaging can be stored under the same conditions for no more than 3 months.

Use in cooking

These clams cook very quickly. If they are overcooked or overcooked, they become rubbery. To preserve all the softness and juiciness of frozen scallops, you need to defrost them in the refrigerator. If you defrost shellfish in hot water or under the influence of microwaves, you can irretrievably lose the softness and juiciness of their meat .;

Scallops are very popular in French cuisine. They are prepared as dishes for daily use and gourmet delicacies.

Fried sea scallops

To prepare this dish, you will need shellfish meat, refined olive oil, and white pepper to taste, lemon. After defrosting, the scallops need to be dried, a little salt and pepper. For frying, the pan and the oil on it should be very hot in order to “seal” the proteins of the meat with high temperature. Fry the clams for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. You can’t fry longer, otherwise the meat will become rubbery. Drizzle with lemon juice before serving.

Sea scallop cream soup “Chowder”

To prepare cream soup, you need to take: 600 ml chicken broth, roots (, ) 1 each, 3 medium, 1 onion, 500 g, 200 ml of fat, 2 tablespoons of butter, dried herbs, yolk, 0.5 cups of white wine, salt and spices to taste. In the broth over medium heat, boil vegetables with herbs for 10-15 minutes, cool slightly and grind with a blender until smooth. Stew sliced ​​mushrooms for a couple of minutes along with scallops in a hot butter. At the end add wine and vegetable puree, simmer on the smallest fire for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly. Beat the yolk and heavy cream and add to the soup. gourmet soup ready!

Conclusion

Sea scallops are a delicious seafood delicacy. Besides palatability, they are very useful, therefore they are recommended for use in many diseases, even with diabetes and gout. low calorie, high value of shellfish protein, a large amount of vitamins and minerals make it an excellent dietary product.

However, leaning on scallops is not worth it. Mollusk meat contains methylmercury, which can accumulate in the human body, so you can’t eat it more than three times a week.

To prepare a delicious and delicious dish, you should learn how to choose and defrost the product correctly so as not to deprive the scallops of their juiciness and benefits. Sea scallops are a perishable product, so any violation of the terms and conditions of their storage and defrosting can lead to food poisoning.

In order for a dish of scallops to bring enjoyment of taste, when preparing it, you need to remember that they are very delicate. heat treated the shellfish must be devoted to a minimum amount of time, because its meat can be eaten even raw. To prevent scallop meat from becoming rubbery, you need to cook it in a matter of minutes.

Many of us have a passion for delicacies and admire their amazing taste, without even knowing how many health benefits they have. One of the most useful and desirable dishes in the diet of a modern person is seafood. These include scallops, which are bivalve mollusks used in different cuisines all over the world. They are valued for their delicate taste by real gourmets. Let's talk on www.site about how you can use scallops, we will give cooking recipes, tell you what its benefits and harms are.

A few words about a delicious delicacy

The shell in which the mollusk is stored resembles the shape of a comb, which gave the seafood its name. Its use can result in not always pleasant consequences for the body, so you should remember not only the beneficial properties, but also the harm and contraindications. Gourmets eat scallops fried, boiled, marinated and stewed, added to hot dishes and side dishes, used as a salad ingredient. The meat is very tender and sweet. These gifts of the sea can be of different sizes, the largest are found in the seas and oceans of Japan, the medium ones - in Scottish waters. Shellfish from Chile are the smallest, but their amazing, specific taste is appreciated in all cuisines of the world.

When buying a fresh product, pay attention to its smell: it should be pronounced, marine, and the color of the meat should be cream or pink. If you don’t smell the sea, then you shouldn’t buy such a product: it may be stale or the shellfish is too old, which means that it contains several times less valuable components.

What is the scallop valued for, what is the benefit of it to the body?

Sea scallops are often used in diet food. With a huge content of all useful substances in them, they have a low calorie content. They improve the digestion process, normalize metabolism, and during the diet support necessary food cells, supplying them with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. There are only 89 calories in 100 grams of the product, a quarter is protein, 70 grams of water, and the rest is fat.

This product has a high content of iodine. So, it is incredibly useful for people in whose body this mineral is not enough. The use of shellfish normalizes the work of the endocrine system, having a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland.

A large complex of microelements (manganese, phosphorus, copper, zinc, magnesium, cobalt, iron) in combination with polyunsaturated omega acids and multivitamins make scallop very valuable for health. They contain the so-called biocalcium, which is useful for babies and is not at all harmful to them at an early age. Thanks to the use of dishes with this seafood, cholesterol levels are normalized, heart function improves, blood vessels are cleansed and strengthened, general tone. Like no other product, scallop is useful for atherosclerosis.

Since this is a seafood, it cannot be said about its effect on sexual function. It improves the quality of sexual life, increases potency, activates spermatogenesis, in a word, it is an excellent aphrodisiac.

The most useful parts in a shell are the mantle and the closure muscle. They apply not only to recipes, but also in folk remedies treatment.

To whom can a scallop be dangerous, what harm does it cause?

There is one feature that makes some people think before eating scallops: they are able to quickly accumulate toxic substances in themselves, which can provoke severe poisoning. Therefore, to their freshness in appearance buyers must have special claims.

It is impossible to store the product unfrozen for a long time, it instantly deteriorates and becomes a real poison.

Recipes for delicious and healthy meals with sea delicacy

1. Shellfish in fresh herbs

We will need:

6 pieces of scallops;

2 tablespoons of olive oil;

1 clove of garlic;

150 grams of parsley;

100 milliliters of lemon juice.

Rinse seafood well and pat dry with paper towels. Chop greens and mix with olive oil and chopped garlic. With the resulting mixture, we rub each scallop well, send it to the refrigerator for half an hour. Then we heat the pan, fry the marinated delicacies for two minutes on both sides. Arrange on a dish, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, serve hot and enjoy the delicate taste!

2. Unusual pilaf

For cooking, we take the following products:

400 grams of scallops;

3 onions;

3 medium carrots;

2 small tubes of tomato paste;

3-4 tablespoons of melted butter;

1 glass of rice;

Parsley greens.

Grind the meat into cubes, fry with onions and carrots in a pan with ghee. At the end of frying, add tomato paste. Boil rice until half cooked. We spread everything in layers in a saucepan, simmer until tender, without stirring. It is better to serve at the table with or any other fresh tomatoes, with parsley, as well as pickled fruits are used as a garnish.

3. Pasta with arugula and seafood

Preparing for this dish:

250 grams of pasta;

20 pieces of scallops;

150 ml of olive oil;

2 cloves of garlic;

100 grams of arugula;

1 tablespoon lemon juice;

A few coriander leaves;

3 tablespoons of dry wine.

Boil the pasta until tender, and while it is cooking, wash and dry the mollusk. In a hot frying pan, fry the chopped garlic for a few seconds, pour in the wine and add the lemon juice. Grind the arugula and also add to this mixture. Next, fry the scallops, lightly salting. We mix all the components together. We spread the pasta on plates, portionwise - seafood on top, sprinkle everything with coriander. We eat and enjoy!

Lyudmila, www.site
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Sea scallops are a family of bivalve mollusks distributed throughout almost the entire world's oceans.
They live at all depths, especially a lot of them in tropical seas. Most of the species are the object of fishing or artificial breeding on special farms.

Before you make a choice in favor of this mollusk and buy a frozen scallop, you need to find out how the mollusk looks like, where it lives and what benefit or harm its meat can bring.

Jet-powered clam

All scallops got their name from the shape of the shell, it is round, one valve, upper, flat, and the second, lower, convex, convex ribs diverge radially through the entire shell from the hinge edge, which end on the edge with light notches. It is because of them that mollusks began to be called from the Latin pecten - scallop.
The shells of species that live in the coastal zone are distinguished by their bright color. Among them you can find pink, purple, white shells.
Scallops have a powerful muscle, it is because of him that people have a desire to buy a scallop. After all, it is the scallop muscle that has an unsurpassed taste and a fairly decent size.

The muscle is rounded and columnar in appearance, very fleshy, and capable of making sharp contractions that cause the shell to collapse and open. In addition, the edges of the mantle are arranged in such a way that also contributes to the movement of the scallop. These devices allow you to push off from the water column and the mollusk moves forward due to jet propulsion. When the valves are compressed, water is pushed out of the mantle cavity in two powerful jets towards the lugs located on both sides of the lock. It was this principle that was used in the creation of jet engines.
The most interesting thing is that the scallop has balance organs that help it roll over 180 degrees when it falls incorrectly on the lower shell.
In the hot season, the scallop moves to a depth where the water is cooler, and returns back in winter.
On the edge of the robe, there are hundreds of real glowing green eyes. However, the mollusk does not differ in visual acuity and notices its enemies, starfish, when it is already too late.
The scallop feeds by passing water through itself and trapping any organic suspension and plankton. A medium-sized scallop passes through its mantle up to 25 liters of water per hour.
Not only the ancient Greeks, but also the indigenous peoples of the Far East knew a lot about scallops. And today you can buy scallops that are found near the Far Eastern coast.

The basis of the fishery is the following types of mollusks:

• Japanese;
• Swift;
• Bering Sea;
• seaside.

Scallops go on sale in the following types:

• ice cream;
• canned;
• dried;
• fresh.

In the central parts of the country, most often you can buy frozen or canned scallops.
It is most useful to use either fresh scallop meat or freshly frozen.

The benefits of scallop meat, contraindications

Eating scallops is due not only to its pleasant taste, but also to its benefits. Its uniqueness is that with a high protein content, the scallop muscle contains a minimal amount of fat. In addition, meat contains a very important vitamin B12. It is with the participation of this substance that the shells of nerve cells are formed, the absence of this vitamin causes severe disturbances in the work of the central nervous system. By the way, there is no vitamin B12 available for human absorption in the composition of plant products, and this is one of the main arguments against a vegetarian diet and the rejection of animal products. Buy scallops and eat them in food can be recommended to people suffering from vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis. In addition, thanks to B12 and other substances, scallop meat has aphrodisiac properties and helps restore sexual function in men.
In terms of the content of this vitamin, scallop is superior to both shrimp and squid.

In addition, there are many other important useful substances in the mollusk muscle:

• zinc;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• calcium.

Without these substances, it is impossible to maintain health and vitality. They are actively involved in the life of the human body, in the construction of bones, muscles, the work of the heart muscle and blood vessels.
However, for scallop to be beneficial, you need to choose and buy scallops correctly so that eating them brings pleasure, not disappointment.
It is traditionally believed that the younger the scallop, the tastier the meat, but this is not at all related to its size, for example, Japanese scallops surpass all other species in muscle size and can weigh up to 40 grams, and the live weight of a scallop with a shell exceeds one kg.
Before you buy a frozen scallop, you need to look at its color. A good product will be pink, cream or light grey. In addition to appearance, the smell of the product is important. The muscle of the mollusk must retain a pleasant, slightly iodine smell of the sea.

With a lot of undoubted advantages, a significant drawback of scallops is the ability to cause allergies, as, however, it is caused by all seafood with a high content of protein, vitamin and other active substances. This product does not bring any other harm to the body. In addition, boiled or raw scallops will be more useful, so if you managed to buy a scallop, then it is better to boil it, cook it in a double boiler or eat it raw.

Scallops live in the ocean and are considered a delicacy on our table. They are mined in large quantities by the Chinese and French, who have this delicacy as a favorite ingredient in cooking. Delicate taste product is known to all gourmets. They are added to salads, side dishes, stewed, marinated, fried, added to soups.

The benefits and harms of scallops lie in the content of iodine, phosphorus, calcium, copper, and iron in their meat. An interesting fact is that the calcium contained in the product is absorbed completely, in contrast to drugs containing this substance. Naturally, the benefits of scallops are indispensable for people with diseases of bone tissue and joints, arthritis, rheumatism, and gout.

The mollusk regulates cholesterol levels due to the sterol in its composition, it is useful for heart diseases. Vitamin B12, which is part of it, prevents depression and improves mood.

The benefits of scallops are known in nutrition, and it is difficult to overestimate it. Shellfish are high in protein and at the same time low in calories. That allows you to replenish your body with a large supply of minerals, polyunsaturated acids and almost the entire multivitamin complex without any harm to health without fear for your figure. In just a few months of regular use, he is able to turn a woman into a slender beauty.

The benefits of scallops are also known for men. Shellfish help increase sexual desire, regulate reproductive function, and can get rid of impotence. Seafood has long been known as an excellent aphrodisiac.

Scallops can be harmful if a person has an excess of calcium in the body. A rarity is an allergy to a product, but still there are people who cannot eat it.

Possible harm to scallops in case of violation of their storage conditions, they are very "capricious" and quickly deteriorate. Don't defrost too often. If they are past their expiration date, eating such food can cause serious poisoning.

You can determine whether scallops will be harmful by their appearance. They should not have raids, blue and unpleasant odors. There is some feature of mollusks that is unpleasant for humans - this is the ability to accumulate toxins that, if they enter our body, can cause poisoning.