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Intro

I love crudos! I usually feel guilty ordering them at restaurants, though, because they are so easy to make — all they are are raw meat, shellfish, or fish (or just straight vegetables sometimes these days) dressed with some seasoning in some combination of an acid and fat (and maybe some spice). You know the concept of salt - fat - acid - heat? That’s all you need to keep in mind when building a crudo!

This composition (only a “recipe” in that it’s a suggestion and example of what can be an infinite number of combinations) uses citrus as the “acid,” extra virgin olive oil as the “fat,” and fresh chopped chilis as the “heat.” Technically these 3 pillars complement a fourth tenet of “sweet,” which comes in the form of the scallops! Here are some other options for more examples:

• Acid — lemon, orange, blood orange, lime, vinegars

• Fat — any oil (e.g. EVOO or infused oils go really well in crudos!), coconut milk

• Heat — any fresh chopped chilis (use your spice tolerance as a guide); bitter or “spicy” vegetables like arugula, dandelion, microgreens

I got my scallops from a supplier called Seatopia, which kind of works like a CSA box for seafood. I like them because they’re chef-owned and started that sources from a collective of responsible seafood “farmers.” They focus on only working with the best of the best aquaculture farms to provide their customers with truly sustainably-farmed seafood to help build a world in which we coexist symbiotically with our resources instead of depleting everything. Check them out if you haven’t already and contact me for discount codes if you’re interested!

Here’s more specific info about the sushi grade scallops pictured in this recipe.

Makes a nice snack for one or an easy starter for a small group:

• 1 portion of (6) scallops, thawed

• Drizzle of high quality EVOO (the more bright and peppery the better)

• 1 lemon

• 1 blood orange, peeled and pith removed

• Serrano pepper(s)

• Pinch of Maldon sea salt flakes

• Micro cilantro or edible flowers, for garnish (optional)

1. Once you clean the blood orange of peel and pith, roughly break up each slice into smaller pieces with your hands

2. For the lemon, cut into wedges so you can easily squeeze juice (remove seeds if there are any)

3. Thinly slice your Serrano pepper(s)

4. For each scallop: add a splash of lemon, a couple blood orange chunks, a couple slices of pepper

5. Once you’ve done that for all your scallops, drizzle them all with some EVOO, Maldon salt flakes, and garnish with your micro cilantro or edible flowers if you’re using

Enjoy as a light snack for yourself or as a summery starter for a group meal! I love this with a Pilsner, a balanced orange wine, or a natural white wine with peach and/or floral notes 🍻

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