WASHINGTON — The seared sea scallops at Black’s Bar & Kitchen have long been a signature item on the menu at the Bethesda, Maryland restaurant. But for the next few weeks, the dish will taste a little different.
That’s because the usual scallops will be swapped out for a limited-quantity of fresh, local scallops, caught 45 miles off the shore of Ocean City, Maryland. Yes, the local beach destination, best known for its crabs and boardwalks, is also home to sweet, wild scallops.
“In 10 years [of being in the restaurant industry], this is the first I’ve heard of local scallops,” says Dane Sewlall, executive chef at Black’s Bar & Kitchen. “It’s always soft-shell crab every year around this time — everybody’s jumping up and down for that. To see these, I had to jump on the chance.”
M.J. Gimbar, fishmonger for Black Restaurant Group, says the Ocean City scallops have been around for “quite a while,” but are just starting to grow in popularity as the fishery who harvests them grows its notoriety and connects more with local markets.
The scallops are harvested from an area called Elephant’s Trunk, where the water is about 200 to 300 feet deep. The fishermen use a dredge along the ocean floor to collect the bivalves before shucking them on the boat, putting them on ice and sending them to the market in under 24 hours.
“It doesn’t take a long trip to get them from dock to door,” Gimbar says.
In addition to the proximity, the way in which the scallops are treated once they are out of the water sets them apart from others.
“A lot of scallops are treated with a saline solution, which preserves them in a way and also makes them retain water. When you do that, you add a little unnatural saltiness to the scallops, and it takes away from the natural flavor of the scallops,” Gimbar says. “Whereas these scallops are completely unadulterated.”
The boat’s captain can only harvest 600 pounds each trip (there are typically 12 scallops per pound), and since the local scallop season operates under a quota system, the window is only about 20 to 30 days.
“It could end up finishing before June gets here, or it could end up finishing the first week of June, but it won’t be too much longer after that,” Gimbar says. “You have to get them while you can.”
When the fresh scallops get to Black’s Bar & Kitchen, Sewlall sears them in a pan and tops them with a crawfish and thyme beurre blanc. The scallops are served with a side of garlic-whipped mashed potatoes and wilted Swiss chard.
Because the local scallops are not dipped in a saline solution immediately after harvest, they are drier than most, which helps in the cooking process.
“You get a better sear on the scallop on the outside; those sugars caramelize so it just makes it sweeter,” says Sewlall, who anticipates the local scallops will be available into the first few weeks of June.
“People kind of gravitate toward the larger scallops, but these are smaller and sweeter and that’s why we like them. It’s just a clean, delicious flavor.”
Sewlall and Gimbar say the unique and fresh taste certainly make the scallops special, but it’s more than that.
“It’s a local resource, it supports the local fishermen, they’re sustainable,” Gimbar says.
“It really is amazing that you’re right out there at Ocean City, which is known for boardwalks and summer vacations, but these scallops are coming out of the water really close to us and getting to us really soon out of the water. It’s really a win-win for the next three to four weeks.”
