As the summer season rolls in, the Eid Al Adha vacation inches closer, as do the school holidays, you might be looking to host friends and family at home. And, if you're looking for something fresh, interesting, and that your guests will be wowed by, this scallop dish will be the ultimate centrepiece for your seasonal celebrations.
Shared with us by Chef Giovanni Ledon of Akira Back, this restaurant-quality recipe brings the sophisticated flavours of one of the world’s most renowned dining destinations directly to your kitchen. It is a masterclass in global fusion, seamlessly blending the delicate sweetness of sashimi-grade scallops with the bold, fermented depths of Korean and Japanese pantries.
Chef Akira Back is a culinary visionary whose journey from professional snowboarder in Aspen to Michelin-starred chef has redefined modern fusion. Renowned for his "unconventional Japanese" style, Back seamlessly weaves his Korean heritage and American upbringing into a global empire that spans from Las Vegas to Paris and Dubai. With a career highlighted a consistent presence in the MICHELIN Guide and MENA’s 50 Best lists, Chef Akira continues to shape the global cultural landscape by blending technical Japanese precision with bold, imaginative storytelling.
So, whether you are hosting a formal Eid gathering or a relaxed summer soirée, these Scallops on the Half Shell offer a complex, umami-driven experience that is as visually striking as it is flavourful. Between the smoky crunch of veal bacon and the indulgent heat of the gochujang butter, this is a dish designed for sharing and guaranteed to become an instant signature at your table.
Scallops on the Half Shell, served with smoky gochujang butter
A rich and deeply savoury seafood dish layered with Korean and Japanese influences, this scallops-on-the-half-shell recipe combines sashimi-grade scallops with smoky veal bacon, kimchi, and an indulgent gochujang butter sauce. Finished with parmesan, crispy shallots, and fresh chives, it’s a bold, umami-packed dish designed for sharing.
Bringing this restaurant-quality dish to life involves a series of curated steps, from building a rich dashi base to crafting the decadent gochujang butter. To guide you through the process, we have broken down the ingredients and methods for each layer below.
Gochujang Butter
Ingredients for Gochujang Butter
- 250g miso soup
- 170g unsalted butter
- 124g cream
- 79g full-fat milk
- 63g chojang
- 51g parmesan cheese
- 21g soy sauce
- 11g sugar
- 5g gochugaru
- 3g garlic
Method for Gochujang Butter
- Combine all ingredients in a stock pot except the butter.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce the mixture by half.
- Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the butter until fully emulsified and glossy.
- Allow to cool slightly before use.
Ingredients for Cojang
- 63g gochujang paste
- 26g Shiragiku vinegar
- 21g sugar
- 12g Shibanuma soy sauce
- 11g wasabi powder
- 8g sesame oil
- 5g Coke or Sprite
- 4g minced garlic
Method for Chojang
- Blend the vinegar and garlic together until smooth
- Add in the remaining ingredients (except the sesame oil) and whisk thoroughly.
- Slowly emulsify the sesame oil into the mixture until smooth and glossy
Ingredients for Dashi
- 2.5 litres of water
- 73g kombu
- 9g bonito flakes
Method for Dashi
- Combine the kombu and water into a large stock pot, and bring to the boil slowly.
- Once boiling, remove the kombu and turn off the heat
- Add the bonito flakes and allow to steep for 30 minutes
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve
Ingredients for Miso Soup
- 500g of dashi
- 39g of white miso paste
Method for Miso Soup
- Bring the dashi to a simmer in a stock pot
- Whisk in the miso paste until fully dissolved
- Strain once more to ensure smooth consistency
Scallops on the Half Shell
Ingredients
- 2 sashimi-grade scallops
- 72g gochujang butter
- 32g chopped kimchi
- 14g diced veal bacon
- 11g grated parmesan cheese
- 9g crispy shallots
- 2g chives, finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method for final plating of Scallops on the Half Shell with Gochujang Butter and Kimchi
- Heat a sauté pan until very hot for searing the scallops.
- Prepare two scallop shells on a robata or serving tray.
- Season the scallops with salt and black pepper, then sear on both sides until lightly caramelised. Place into the scallop shells.
- In a separate sauté pan, cook the veal bacon until crisp. Add the chopped kimchi and sauté briefly.
- Add the gochujang butter and reduce until thickened and glossy.
- Spoon the sauce over the scallops and cook until bubbling.
- Finish with grated parmesan, crispy shallots, and fresh chives before serving immediately.
Akira Back Dubai at W Dubai The Palm, West Crescent Road, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
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@akirabackdubai @wdubaipalm
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