Susan Jung’s recipes for seared scallops

I love raw scallops, but, I know, not everyone is a fan. My trick is to sear them so they look cooked but are still almost raw in the centre. If you’re serving picky guests who will eat only scallops that are fully cooked (which makes them tough), think of another dish.

Seared scallops with pancetta, mint and Korean zucchini “spaghetti”

I’m a fan of Korean zucchini, which has thinner, smoother skin, and flesh that’s more delicate than the Italian variety. It has the shape of Italian zucchini, but the skin is pale green, and it’s usually sold in
shrink-wrapped plastic. When cut into long, thin strands, it looks like pale green and pale yellow spaghetti, but, with it’s lighter texture, it is perfect for summer dishes.

Prepare the “spaghetti” and other ingredients first, because the scallops take just a couple of minutes to cook. I always buy scallops fresh – in the shell – on the day I’m going to cook them. The seafood vendor can clean them for you, but I have them leave the roe/coral intact (although it can be removed, if you prefer).

For the spaghetti:
3 Korean zucchini
30 grams unsalted butter
170 grams pancetta, sliced about 5mm thick
Cooking oil, as needed
A small handful of mint leaves, plus a few sprigs and small leaves for garnishing
Fine sea salt, rough-flaked sea salt (such as Maldon) and freshly ground black pepper