What is in the picture?

Scallops are a highly prized shellfish for their delicate texture and taste. When cooked properly, like a quick sear in a hot pan, they are deliciously sweet and tender, needing very little fat or added flavor. Whether larger sea scallops or the small bay scallops, just a few scallops on a plate turn dinnertime into quite a delicacy.

Scallops are a bivalve mollusk of the Pectinidae family and are related to clams, mussels, and oysters. There are many varieties of scallop, but the most common is the tiny bay scallop, found in East Coast bays and estuaries, and the larger sea scallop, which exists in the deep cold waters on the ocean floor. Bay scallops are most often less expensive than sea scallops, especially when the sea scallops are very large. No matter the type, the scallop should be a pale pink or light beige color with a soft texture.