Hatch’s Sautéed Scallops | In Season

Here’s a true feat of optimism: Launch a magazine column that’s devoted to the best of seasonal New England eating … in the depths of winter.

The fields may be resting under a layer of frost, but there’s more local fare on offer than just turnips and greenhouse greens. At this time of year, I find happiness in the abundance of shellfish that’s being pulled from New England waters (one worrying exception: the ongoing closure of the Atlantic shrimp fishery, projected through at least next year). Oysters, mussels, scallops—all are abundant now, and all are delicious.

The following recipe is an old favorite that’s ripe for rediscovery. It came to us via Rob McClennan, the longtime owner of Hatch’s Fish Market in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, a seasonal shop that is beloved for its pristine seafood and some of the best smoked fish in New England.

Rob bought the business from his boss and mentor Cliff Hatch (and later sold the business to his own protégé, Adrian Kmiec), and this recipe distills how Cliff liked to eat his scallops. You cook up some pasta, quickly brown the scallops, and make a simple sauté of onion, garlic, green bell peppers (remember those?), and white wine. The savory veggies make the scallops taste sweeter, and if you’ve forgotten the point of humble green peppers in a world of shishitos and mini-sweets, this will remind you.

Get the Recipe: Hatch’s Sautéed Scallops

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