Scallop Crudo with Citrus-Ginger Sauce

Unlike ceviche, in which the fish “cooks” in citrus juice for several hours, crudo is a last-minute dish. We love the flavor in this fresh scallop crudo.

By Yankee Magazine

Feb 02 2017

Photo Credit : Mark Fleming

Crudo, which means “raw” in Italian, is a preparation in which pristine uncooked seafood is served dressed with citrus, good olive oil, and sea salt (additional seasonings optional). Unlike ceviche, in which the fish “cooks” in citrus juice for several hours, crudo is a last-minute preparation meant to highlight contrasting flavors. We first made this variation of scallop crudo using scallops just pulled from the sea. As always, you should consume raw fish purchased only from trustworthy sources.

Yield:

4 appetizer servings

Ingredients

1 serrano chili pepper (or ½ jalapeño)
1 small shallot
Juice of 1 ½ oranges
Juice of 1 lemon
1 piece fresh ginger root, ½-inch long, peeled
½ pound fresh bay scallops, halved crosswise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 mint leaves, thinly sliced
Chili flakes
Sea salt flakes

Instructions

Cut the pepper in half and use a straw or chopstick to scoop out the inner seeds and membrane. Next, slice both pepper and shallot into paper-thin slices (a mandoline is a great tool here).

In a small bowl, whisk together the citrus juices. Grate the ginger root into the juice with a Microplane or other fine grater to extract the juice and some pulp, but not the root’s coarse fibers. Whisk to combine.

Divide the scallops among 4 salad plates. Pour the citrus dressing around the scallops, then drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with pepper slices, shallot slices, and mint leaves. Sprinkle with chili flakes and sea salt to taste. Serve immediately.