Hotate
帆立 hotate · scallop · coquille Saint-Jacques

Videos: 9-6

Buying / identifying

Shell-on shellfish: use only live ones. Some may be dead.video 9-6
Farmed scallops have a hole in the shell where they were hung. Wild ones are whiter and cleaner, with a prettier dome.video 9-6
One side of the shell is white and curved, the other brown and flat.video 9-6

Scrub the shells well with a brush — shell-on shellfish carry bacteria.video 9-6
Use a palette knife (spatula) if you have one; otherwise any knife, even a table knife.video 9-6
Detach the flat (brown) side first. If shut tight, the shell always opens slightly at one edge — insert the knife there.video 9-6
Around the edge, free the himo (mantle frill — the part that opens and closes the shell), then work through to the centre.video 9-6
Keep the knife pressed firmly along the shell, or kaibashira (adductor) meat stays stuck to it.video 9-6
With one side off, remove just the band-shaped part of the himo first.video 9-6
Lift the black uro (digestive gland) firmly and peel it away — it comes off in one go, leaving meat and himo.video 9-6
Finally detach the meat from the curved shell; it comes off easily.video 9-6

Thin skin and dirt remain around the meat: clean it thoroughly in 2% salt water with a little ice.video 9-6
Dry well.video 9-6
Some shops then rinse once more in fresh water: Vibrio parahaemolyticus likes salt water and can cause food poisoning.video 9-6

Take the two strands of himo out from the base and cut them apart. The viscera, thin membrane and uro are not used.video 9-6
Remove the thin skin.video 9-6
Open the himo and scrape it with the edge of the knife — a lot of dirt comes off.video 9-6
Into a zaru (strainer) with a little salt; salt-rub (shiomomi) to remove slime and dirt.video 9-6
Rinse well with water.video 9-6
Shimofuri (quick blanch): about 5 s through boiling water.video 9-6

The kimo (roe/gonad) is good butter-sautéed, but is undeveloped at this season — it grows when it gets cold. Not used here.video 9-6
Himo is used for otōshi (appetizer); rarely for nigiri.video 9-6

Related: Nigiri · Rice