This is probably one of the easiest recipes in my collection of seafood recipes, yet it ranks way up there as being one of the most delicious! I always pan sear my scallops to get that crispy outside coating. But not this time. These are baked in the oven after coating them in panko bread crumbs that are coated in rich buttery garlic .
Baked Panko Scallops (Scallops Al Forno)
1 pound of fresh sea scallops
2 cloves garlic, minced very fine
1 cup of panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Grease a small casserole dish large enough to hold the scallops. Pat scallops with paper towel and add salt and pepper. Set aside.
Mix the panko, garlic, and parsley with the olive oil until it just sticks together to make a nice crumb coating. Add more oil and butter or more breadcrumbs as needed. Sprinkle some of the bread crumbs on the bottom of the greased casserole.
Arrange the scallops in the casserole dish and then completely cover them with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until scallops are opaque and topping is golden brown.
You may also put the scallops under the broiler for a few seconds to get even more golden. But be careful the bread crumbs will burn quickly if you are not watching.