Scallop Crudo with Herbs + Brine
This is a super easy, no-cook recipe that showcases the sweetness of fresh, local, seasonal Maine scallops, complimented by the brightness and brine of a few simple ingredients.
When I was working at a fish shop in Portland, I used to much on raw scallops like they were candy. I remember one of my co-workers asking me if I was "just eating scallops raw" to which I replied "oh absolutely." It was only a matter of minutes before I had converted one of my coworkers into my raw scallop clan.
Like many, scallops were previously known to me in their seared form – firm on the outside, soft and savory on the inside. Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a well-executed seared scallop dish.
But raw scallops are just next level.
The sweet, fresh, buttery flavor of a raw scallop coupled with his luxuriously smooth, meaty texture is just an absolute treat that I wish everyone could experience. Unlike oysters (which are wonderfully, supremely briny) or raw finfish (like mackerel, which can be overpowering to some), scallops are a beautifully mild testament to the waters in which they grow.
At every seafood event I do, I try and have a raw scallop dish on the menu. And it is always a hit. Not because I'm doing any culinary genius to the scallops, but rather, because I am letting the natural flavors of the scallop shine.
Maine Dayboat Scallops—An Absolute Culinary Treasure
You can make this dish with any type of scallops, although I always recommend inquiring with your fish monger as to the scallops' freshness. I always ask my fishmonger 4 key questions:
When were the scallops landed?
Were they ever frozen?
Were they treated with preservatives?
Are they "sushi-grade?"
First and foremost, when consuming raw seafood, you always want to make sure that you're eating seafood that has been properly time-temperature controlled, nad fresh. Oftentimes, I point blank ask fishmongers "can I prepare this raw?" and they will usually give you a straight answer.
You can still eat raw scallops that have been flash-frozen at sea (the vast majority of scallops are), but once you eat a raw dayboat scallop vs one that has been frozen and thawed, you will forever note a slight textural difference between the two.
The names Diver and Dayboat scallop are names given to describe the method with which they are caught. Diver Scallops are fished in season by hand from November to April. Many vendors will advertise their product as diver scallops, but with no real way of verifying the method used to catch this is often misleading.
Diver Scallops are commonly thought to be more ecologically friendly because the individuals picking them can be more selective and limit catch to the larger, more mature mollusks. This can be exponentially more time consuming and can cause the price of these items to be much higher than the conventional method of dragging.
The term Dayboat Scallops refers to the length of the fishing trip and to be categorized as a Dayboat Scallop the boat used to fish must return within 24 hours of departing. This increases the freshness of the scallops. The vast majority of scallops are caught by longer-trip vessels, and are either frozen at sea or treated with preservatives. In contrast, Dayboat scallops are ocean-fresh. They have never been frozen or treated with preservatives. The season typically runs from December through February, and when they first become available, I flock to my local fish shop to secure some. They're just unbeatably good.
The Ease of This Dish
This dish was originally sent to me by a friend from the Midwest who just received in some fresh scallops. She found an amazing recipe by fellow food blogger Food My Muse and wanted to get my thoughts. After her recent trip to Maine in which I forced her to try raw scallops (she loved them) she shipped a pound to herself, and was going to prepare them for her family who had never experienced the beauty of raw scallops. However, she confessed that she wanted a "bit of a marinade" to pair with them, in case her family was a little too cautious of just popping a raw scallop.
I've played around with this original recipe and absolutely love the marriage of the herbaceous brine and acidity of the marinade, paired alongside the bright, subtlty of our fresh Maine scallops.
It's a super easy dish to prepare that just requires a bit of chopping. No cooking, no hard-to-locate ingredients. Just something simple that you can whip up and serve.
The best part: I now use this marinade on everything—on salmon crudo, as a salad dressing, as a dipping oil for cut vegetables. It's bright, it's healthy, and it's versatile, which I love.
Scallop Crudo with Herbs + Brine
Ingredients
Instructions
- Dice the shallots, capers, and serrano. Combine them together, and chop them further. Then, turn your knife sideways, and form a paste of the ingredients. Add them to a bowl.
- Next, add in the chopped chives, dill, dijon, tamari, caper juice, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Then, drizzle in some olive oil, and further mix.
- Carefully cut the foot off of your scallops. Then, slice the scallops lengthwise. You should be able to get 3-4 slivers of slice scallop per whole scallop.
- Carefully slice your cucumber using a knife or a mandoline.
- Arrange the cucumber on the plate. Add the scallops on top. Next, drizzle your sauce.
- Garnish with a few sprigs of microgreens.
- Enjoy!