Mike Wiley’s Recipe for Seared Scallops With Apple-Jalapeño Slaw

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This recipe from Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland, Maine, includes a foolproof method for cooking scallops. A garnish of crushed tortilla chips complements the shellfish with a satisfying crunch.

By Kitty Greenwald – The Wall Street Journal

RIP TIDE | Tearing the seared scallops and scattering them with crushed tortilla chips make for an appealing combination of textures. PHOTO: LINDA XIAO FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FOOD STYLING BY HEATHER MELDROM, PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

RIP TIDE | Tearing the seared scallops and scattering them with crushed tortilla chips make for an appealing combination of textures. PHOTO: LINDA XIAO FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FOOD STYLING BY HEATHER MELDROM, PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

AS THE DAYS grow colder, scallops are the silver lining: The lower the water temperature, the plumper and sweeter they get. Mike Wiley, co-chef and co-owner of Eventide Oyster Co., Hugo’s and the Honey Paw in Portland, Maine, will be serving them liberally from here on in.

For this recipe, Mr. Wiley tears barely cooked scallops into bite-size pieces and scatters them over a spicy smear of chipotle-hazelnut sauce. Jalapeño-apple slaw, cilantro and crushed tortilla chips balance the plate with freshness and crunch.

Mr. Wiley and his partner and co-chef, Andrew Taylor, developed the one-sided scallop sear used here at the perennially packed Eventide. “If you’re slammed, you can just drop the scallops into a hot pan and not worry about flipping or basting,” he said. The technique guards against overcooking, the downfall of many otherwise promising shellfish preparations.

Various types of scallop will work in this recipe; ask your fishmonger what’s best at the moment. “That’s the beauty of tearing them—it doesn’t matter what size they are,” Mr. Wiley said. “Get the freshest for the best price.”

Seared Scallops With Apple-Jalapeño Slaw
  • 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored, seeded and julienned
  • 1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
  • Salt
  • 1½ tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1 lime, halved
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ cup hazelnuts
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas
  • 4 dried árbol chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 3 whole chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
  • 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1½ pounds scallops
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • 8 tortilla corn chips, crushed

Total Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4

1. Make apple-jalapeño slaw: In a medium bowl, toss apples and jalapeños with a pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon agave and a squeeze of lime juice. Cover and let chill in refrigerator.

2. Make chipotle-nut sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, nuts and pepitas. Cook, shaking pan often, until garlic lightly browns, 2 minutes. Add árbol and chipotle chilies and sauté until very fragrant but not burned, 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add remaining agave and vinegar. Purée until smooth.

3. Pat scallops dry and lightly salt. Heat remaining oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, lay in scallops, taking care not to overcrowd. Sear until deeply browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Let scallops rest in pan until top feels just warmer than a raw scallop, about 30 seconds (will vary depending on size of scallops). Transfer scallops to a paper-towel lined plate.

4. To serve, smear generous spoonfuls of chipotle-nut sauce across plates. Tear scallops into bite-size pieces and scatter over top. Add slaw to plate and garnish with cilantro. Scatter crushed chips over and around scallops.