Sò Điệp Nướng Mỡ Hành
Sò Điệp Nướng Mỡ Hành·(saw d-yeap nyoong muh hahn)
Linh Hồn Việt: Foundational Condiments and Mother Sauces
If you grew up in a Vietnamese-American household, the smell of mỡ hành—scallion oil—is the undeniable smell of home. It is the shimmering green mother sauce that forms the absolute soul of the nhậu street stall, meant to be chased with cold beer on a humid night. Most modern restaurants take the easy way out, simply microwaving green onions in vegetable oil, but true homeland flavor demands rendered pork fat. Taking the extra ten minutes to render your own lard yields two miracles: a violent, savory flash-fry that strips the raw bite from the alliums, and crispy golden cracklings that provide an addictive crunch. Spooned over sweet, briny scallops grilling right in their shells, this technique brings the smoky, savory noise of a bustling Saigon alleyway straight into your weeknight kitchen.
Ingredients
- half-shell scallops12 large
- salt1 1/4 tsp
- lime juice1/4 cup
- pork fat4 oz
- scallions1 large bunch
- sugar3 tbsp
- MSG1/4 tsp
- neutral oil1 tbsp
- roasted unsalted peanuts1/3 cup
- premium fish sauce3 tbsp
- warm water3 tbsp
- garlic2 small cloves
- bird's eye chilis2 small
Method
- 01
Deodorize the scallops with a citrus wash.
Gently pry the meat from the shell and pull away any dark digestive tracts. Submerge the white meat in a bowl of cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice for 5 minutes, then rinse, pat completely dry, and return to the cleaned shells.
- 02
Whisk together the dipping sauce.
In a small bowl, dissolve 3 tablespoons of sugar into the warm water. Stir in the fish sauce and remaining 3 tablespoons of lime juice, then float the minced garlic and chilis on top.
- 03
Render the pork fat into liquid lard and golden cracklings.
Place the diced pork fat in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook slowly for 8 to 10 minutes until the fat turns into liquid lard and the pork bits shrink into crispy cracklings, then scoop out the cracklings with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- 04
Flash-cook the scallion oil.
Place the chopped scallions, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the MSG in a heat-proof bowl. Reheat the liquid pork fat in the skillet until smoking hot, pour it directly over the scallions so they sizzle violently, and immediately stir in the cold neutral oil to lock in the bright green color.
- 05
Grill the scallops under high heat.
Preheat a broiler to high and place the scallop shells on a sturdy baking sheet. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the natural juices bubble, then pull them out, spoon the scallion oil generously over each scallop, and return to the broiler for another 2 to 3 minutes until opaque but tender.
- 06
Garnish with cracklings and peanuts to serve.
Carefully transfer the hot shells to a serving platter. Top each scallop with the reserved crispy pork cracklings and crushed peanuts, serving immediately with the dipping sauce meant to be spooned directly into the shell before taking a bite.
Notes
Sourcing your scallops.
Half-shell Japanese scallops are usually found in the freezer section of local Asian markets. If you can only find large, dry sea scallops, place them on small, crumpled squares of aluminum foil to catch the bubbling scallion oil under the broiler.
Do not substitute bacon for pork fat.
Ask your butcher for pork back fat or buy unsmoked pork belly. The heavy smoke profile of American bacon will drastically alter the traditional flavor and overpower the delicate natural brine of the scallop.