Baked Scallops with Crumbs & Cheese

Scallops are a sweet-tasting, mild shellfish. In Europe, they're fished along the Atlantic
coasts and come with the coral attached. American scallops range from the tiny bay
scallops to very large varieties, and are usually not sold in the shell or with the coral.
New England has a profusion of scallop dishes, of which this simple one is the most
basic

1 pint scallops
10 butter crackers, crushed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup [114 g] butter, cut into pieces
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease 4 shallow, individual, baking dishes. Roll each
scallop in cracker crumbs, then dip in beaten egg and roll in cracker crumbs again. Place
in 4 greased baking dishes in a single layer. Top each with pieces of butter and sprinkle
with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Bake 25 minutes or until tops are golden. Makes 4
servings