It’s Shucking Time Again!

31 restaurants are busily putting together delicious scallop dishes for visitors to this year’s “Rye Bay Scallop Week”. The most popular ingredient this year is Chorizo with Garlic, Coriander, Lemon and Chilli also being paired with many of the recipes.

The Globe Inn Marsh have an enormous Rye Bay Scallop Week menu … amongst which is a “Hot Skillet Rye Bay Scallops – onion – peppers – sweet chilli – lime – flat bread” and Bonfire Scallop Mini Pizzas! Andrew Neate is singing here on Thursday 1st March.

Marino’s Fish Bar are battering their scallops again this year served with chips and a choice of sweet chilli or tartar sauce.

The George in Rye have four delicious offerings including Rye Bay Scallops on Cornish Crab and Smoked Pancetta Pearl Barley Risotto and Pan Fried Rye Bay Scallops with Boudin Noir, Samphire and Celeriac.

Another favourite in February is Ye Olde Bell Inn who have an impressive menu where you will find King Prawn and Scallop Ragout with Spaghetti and Slow Cooked Pork Belly with Savoy Cabbage & Scallops.

Once again, the Ypres Castle Inn have provided the event’s largest Scallop menu on which you can choose Scallop Paella, Scallop Seafood Linguine and Surf and Turf amongst many, many other dishes! Stone Junction are performing here on Sunday 4th March at 4pm, Jake Hertz Duo on Friday 23rd February at 8pm and Geoff Everett Band on Friday 2nd March 2018 at 9pm.

The Kings Head Inn have Pan Seared Rye Bay Scallops with a Potted Prawn Sauce and Rye Bay Scallop and King Prawn Skewers on a Bed of Sesame and Soy Spinach amongst their scallop dishes. Irish folk musician Phil Trainor is performing at The Kings Head on Sunday 25th February at 4:30pm.

credit: Oliver Campion

Restaurants as far out as Battle and Stone in Oxney are joining in this year with The White Dog in Ewhurst green serving Whole Rye Bay Scallops steamed in their shell with a Garlic, Ginger, Chilli and Soy Butter and Tempura of Rye Bay Scallops served with a Sweet Chilli Dip or Homemade Tartare Sauce. The White Dog have The Stallions playing  on Sunday 25th February at 4pm and The Ninety-Nines on Sunday 4th March at 4pm.

This year, The Ship Inn have a Winemaker’s Dinner on Wednesday 28th February which will be a five course scallop tasting dinner hosted by Victoria Ash (head winemaker at the Hush Heath Winery) who will talk diners through the pairing of each course with a glass of wine. Tickets are £60 per head.

If you’ve not yet been to Scallop School, join in this year at Webbe’s. Courses are on Monday 26th, Tuesday 27th February and Monday 12th March at 9am – 4:30pm to prepare and eat a seven-course luncheon with wine for £105 per person. Guests can join you for lunch from 1pm for £40 each.

See the scallop.org.uk website for full details of the above and the many other special events that will be running through the scallop week.

The use of fresh scallops is weather permitting.