Vegan Scallops
I get such a geeky thrill from working on recipes that approximate animal products. It feels like actual magic to me. I don’t necessarily miss meat, but I love the idea of creating something that might just convince a dedicated carnivore that plants can be just as good and sometimes better.
I used to love scallops. I don’t miss them, per say, but I was interested in the idea of approximating what I liked about them in a plant-based recipe just to see if I could do it.
The King oyster mushroom is the answer! Their long thick, pristinely-white stems can be sliced into rounds that look just like scallops. Once you cook them, their texture is so scallop-like, you’ll be amazed. In this recipe, I use a marinade to infuse the mushroom with subtle flavor. Try it and see it you’re not blown away.
When you choose mushrooms over seafood, you’ll be saving money and making a better choice for the environment, too.
AND! Mushrooms are a nutritional powerhouse.
Here you go:
Cassie’s Vegan Scallops
Ingredients:
1 cup hot vegetable or mushroom broth
2 Tbsp white miso
1 Tbsp soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
6 large king oyster mushrooms, stems sliced 1 in thick (save caps for another use)*
avocado oil
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk the first three ingredients until well-combined.
Combine the stem slices and marinade mixture in a sealed container (I use a ziplock so I can flip the bag over regularly while they marinate so the mushrooms get coated evenly).
Marinate for 15 minutes to overnight. I usually marinate them for a couple hours.
Pat the mushroom slices dry with a clean towel and heat up a pan over medium high heat.
Spray pan or wipe pan with a thin layer of avocado oil and add mushroom slices to the pan, flat side down.
Flip the slices after 5 minutes or so, or once they are nicely browned on the bottom. Repeat for the other side.
Remove from pan and enjoy right away! As leftovers, they’re delicious at room temperature and even cold, too.
Notes
*Slice off the woody end of the mushroom stem, then slice the rest of the stem into 1 inch rounds and slice off the caps. You can marinate them and sauté them up too or throw them in a soup later. I just sauté them up and eat them along with the “scallops”, they just won’t look the part.