An Easy, Fancy Holiday Starter

Scallop Crudo with Blood Orange and Mint

Many get freaked out about preparing and serving raw fish at home, but as long as you're buying the freshest available, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Crudo, (which translates to raw in Italian) and in this case, specifically made with scallops, is one of my favorite dishes, so I made it for my birthday dinner a few weeks back. Blood oranges are in season late fall and winter, so if you can find one to use, please do. They are less acidic that regular oranges and offer a lovely, floral note, plus their vibrant color can’t be beat. If you cannot, feel free to use a lemon, lime or grapefruit or a combination of all three. 

Food photography not at its finest, but think of the possibilities!

Serves 4

Time 20 minutes 

INGREDIENTS 

1 blood orange

6 to 8 large scallops (preferably wild caught), thinly sliced crosswise with a very sharp knife 

1 red serrano chili or bird’s eye, thinly sliced into rings

Good quality olive oil for drizzling, about 2 tablespoons 

1 tablespoon thinly sliced mint

1 tablespoon minced chives

Flaky salt for finish 

METHOD

In a bowl zest and juice the blood orange and stir together to combine. 

Evenly distribute the scallops onto 4 small plates and top each with some of the serrano pepper. 

Spoon some of the blood orange zest and juice mixture over each serving. Drizzle with a generous teaspoon or so of the olive oil. 

Scatter each plate with some of the mint and the chives and finish with a good pinch of flaky salt. 

A Note: This dish would be a lovely start to any meal, but particularly nice if you’re celebrating Feast of the Seven Fishes. It’s not heavy, leaving your room for 6 more fishes! 

Thank you all for being here! Have a lovely weekend and eat something good.

With love,

C