Bay Scallop Crudo with Citrus and Chili Oil
Sweet bay scallops sliced thin, dressed with citrus juice, chili oil, and flaky salt for a no-cook bite.
Prep: 15 · Cook: 0 · Total: 15 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.7/5 (187 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Coastal raw bars — New England and Pacific Northwest
This one came off a road trip up the Pacific Coast, pulling into a raw bar in Morro Bay where a guy in an apron handed over a plate of bay scallops dressed with nothing but citrus and heat. Sometimes the best food you eat is standing at a counter with nowhere to sit.
Story
I have eaten crudo at a lot of fancy restaurants, but the version I keep coming back to is the one I had at a no-name spot in Rockport, Massachusetts, where the menu was handwritten on a chalkboard and the barstools were duct-taped together. They sliced up whatever came off the boat that morning and hit it with lime and chili. That is this dish. It has lived in my road-trip recipe file ever since. If you can find good bay scallops at your fishmonger, this is about as close as you can get to eating at the source without actually making the drive.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh bay scallops, dry-packed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons chili oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
- 1 small shallot, very thinly sliced into rings
- 1 fresno chili or red serrano, thinly sliced (optional, for extra heat)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
- Thinly sliced chives, for garnish
- Tostadas or endive leaves, for serving
Instructions
- Start with the best scallops you can find. You want dry-packed bay scallops, not wet-packed. Wet-packed scallops have been treated with a phosphate solution that makes them taste soapy when served raw. Pat them dry with paper towels and place them on a clean cutting board.
- Slice each scallop horizontally into 2 or 3 thin rounds, about 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a chilled plate or shallow serving dish. Keep the plate in the fridge while you prep the dressing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, and chili oil. Taste it. You want bright acidity with a back-of-the-throat warmth from the chili oil. Adjust the citrus ratio or add a little more oil until it tastes right to you.
- Remove the plate from the fridge. Spoon the citrus-chili dressing evenly over the scallop slices. Every piece should get dressed. Let it sit for 60 to 90 seconds, not more. You want the citrus to just begin to cure the surface without turning the scallops opaque all the way through.
- Scatter the shallot rings, sliced fresno chili (if using), and cilantro leaves over the top. Finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt and an extra drizzle of chili oil. Add sliced chives for color.
- Serve immediately with tostadas or endive leaves for scooping. This is not a dish that waits around. Get it to the table and eat it now. That is the whole move.
Chef Tips
- Source the freshest bay scallops possible. If they smell like anything other than clean ocean, pass.
- Chill your serving plates in the fridge for 10 minutes before plating. Cold dishes keep the crudo cooler longer.
- Do not over-dress. Too much acid will cook the scallops all the way through and you lose the silky raw texture.
- A squeeze of blood orange instead of lemon is a killer variation when they are in season.
Cook's Notes
- **Scallop sourcing:** Always ask for dry-packed. Wet-packed scallops are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, which ruins the clean flavor you are going for here.
- **Timing is everything:** Dress the scallops no more than 90 seconds before serving. Extended contact with citrus will over-cure them and the texture turns rubbery.
- **Heat level:** One fresno chili plus 2 teaspoons of chili oil gives a medium heat. Pull the fresh chili if you are serving a crowd that runs mild.
- **Serving vessel:** Tostadas are the move for crunch and structural integrity. Endive leaves are great for a lighter, no-carb option.