Grilled Scallop Rolls with Spicy Pickled Carrot and Cucumber
Maybe it was just my excitement of being outside and grilling, but this grilled scallop roll was one of the best things I have made in a long time. The flavors were so bright and fresh! The pickled veggies were spicy and sour with a hint of sweetness that balanced perfectly with the scallop. The ginger lemon butter drizzled on top really stole the show.
The weather has finally come around just in time for Memorial Day Weekend and I couldn’t wait to fire up the grill! This year, Memorial day looks a little different, but it is important to still do something special and get outside if you can! Smaller gatherings mean you can experiment more with the food and make something really cool that you maybe wouldn’t make for a large crowd. That is where the idea for these rolls came from.
Frozen or fresh scallops?
I usually use frozen scallops. Some people have trouble working with them. I find that if you thaw them on paper towels they are just as good as fresh. You want them to be nice and dry to get a good sear. You need a good sear for any scallops, but in these grilled scallop rolls especially.
Make the pickled veggies
The carrot and cucumber is tossed with rice vinegar, chili paste, honey, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. The tart and spicy flavors are perfect on top of the grilled scallop rolls!
Make the ginger butter
The butter is melted with lemon, ginger, and parsley. If I had fresh parsley I would use it, but I only had dry around. This butter really stole the show and made these grilled scallop rolls amazing!
Grill the scallops
When grilling scallops it’s a good idea to skewer them to make it easier to flip. I like to use two skewers so they aren’t spinning around on the stick. Make sure to put similar sized scallops on each skewer. then add a lot of oil and salt and pepper.
My next tip when grilling scallops is to make extra cause you will probably want to pop a few right into your mouth when they come off the grill. Save enough for the grilled scallop rolls!
Build the grilled scallop rolls
Grill the bread with plenty of butter, then add the veggies, then the scallops, then a healthy drizzle of the ginger butter!
Everything about these grilled scallop rolls were amazing. Bright and fresh flavors are what I look for in any summertime dish. The pickles and the scallops balanced each other out and give you everything you could want for a backyard BBQ!
Twists on grilled scallop rolls
You could do these grilled scallop rolls with a more simple cole slaw and it would be great too, if you don’t want the spicy pickled carrot flavors. I do really think the ginger butter was a big part of why these were so good though, so I wouldn’t skip on that!
For more tips on grilling scallops, check out this recipe!
For more seafood rolls, check out my tuna poke lobster roll, or these street corn lobster rolls!
Grilled Scallop Rolls with Spicy Pickled Carrot and Cucumber
Ingredients
Pickles
- 1/2 an english cucumber cut into matchstick slices
- 1 large carrot julienned
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespons gochujang chili paste *
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes use Korean style if you can
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seed
- 1 clove garlic grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Butter
- 1/2 stick butter melted
- 1 inch ginger grated
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Finish
- 1 pound large sea scallops
- hot dog buns
Instructions
- Defrost the scallops in the fridge overnight. Pat dry on paper towels before using.
- Mix the pickle ingredients in a large bowl and set aside in the fridge for a few hours or up to a few days.
- Mix the butter ingredients and set aside until ready to use. You can store in the fridge for a few days if you need to, and just microwave when ready to use.
- Preheat grill as hot as you can.
- Skewer the scallops and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toast the hot dog rolls on the grill first and set aside.
- Sear the scallops on the grill, about 3 minutes per side, to brown and cook through.
- Put the pickle mixture into the buns first, then top with the scallops. Drizzle on the butter before serving.