The foods that stay always stocked, the staples of anyone’s pantry, hold the secret to understanding what makes each individual household special in its own way.
One of the most telling is where someone keeps their Ritz crackers: stocked as the go-to snack for the family, among the chocolate chips as a home baker’s secret to pie, or with the tinned fish, destined to be the base of canapés for a party. Keeping a box of Ritz crackers on the shelves means always having a welcoming taste on hand— easy access to a versatile staple that goes with anything and requires no effort to prepare.
Ritz Crackers are a universal favorite. They’ve been a comforting fixture in grocery stores for over 80 years. Simply put, these scalloped golden discs have an ideal level of saltiness. They’re tender, but not to the point of crumbling as soon as you take a bite. They’re toasty, buttery, and seasoned throughout (instead of just on the top) but not in a way that would overpower whatever toppings or dips you’d enjoy with them.
Cracker breading is the perfect complement for fish, seafood, chicken or a vegetable casserole, mashed potatoes and of course, macaroni and cheese.
The combination of flavors in this simple casserole make it such a classic — just scallops, lemon, butter, vermouth, and Ritz crackers. Taking a bite of baked scallops with Ritz crackers is like going back in time, an old-school pleasure. It’s purely delicious, and incredibly easy to make.
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- 907 gm (about 2 LBS) sea or bay scallops
- 1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 Tbsp dry vermouth
- lemon slice & fresh chives or parsley for garnish, optional
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 325 F. Place rack on the second to top position.
- Wash scallops & pat dry. Remove the side muscle if still attached.
- Arrange scallops in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, garlic salt & pepper. Sprinkle the scallops evenly with the cracker crumb mixture, then Parmesan. Pour the butter over all, then sprinkle evenly with the lemon juice & vermouth. Cover the dish with foil & bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil & bake an additional 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat up to 'broil' & with the oven door ajar, brown the top for an additional 2 or 3 minutes.
- Serve hot, garnished with a slice of lemon & fresh chopped chives or parsley.