Crudo, the Italian word for raw, is more a preparation rather than a dish. In this case, scallop crudo just means raw scallops. Of course, I couldn’t make a recipe post of just “buy raw scallops, serve” so this is my interpretation of this popular Italian starter.
An important thing to know here is that this is a raw fish dish, so should not be consumed by pregnant women. While my liquid recipe does include acid, there isn’t enough to cook the fish like in a ceviche or kinilaw.
Can You Eat Raw Scallops?
Many people wonder if it is safe to eat raw scallops and the answer is a definitive YES! Eating raw scallops is no different than eating raw fish in sushi, or raw beef in tartare. As long as they are sourced from healthy mollusks and prepared in a clean environment you have nothing to worry about.
If you prefer cooked scallops try my scallop grenobloise, which is a very old fashioned French recipe.
Scallop Crudo Ingredients
The sauce that these raw scallops are served in is an important part of the dish. You want it to have flavor, but not to overpower the natural sweetness of good quality scallops. Therefore I opt for light and refreshing flavors that go great with seafood.
Ingredients List
- 4 Scallops – These should be sea scallops and not bay scallops. Aim for a size listed at 10/20 which means larger and better quality.
- 1/2 cup Grapefruit Juice – this is about 120 ml. Freshly squeezed is always preferred, but sometimes it’s just not possible. In that case a no sugar added carton version is acceptable.
- 1/4 cup Green Tea – only brew green tea for a few minutes. Any longer and you run the risk of it burning and tasting bitter.
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil – As this dish is uncooked, try to use a high quality and great tasting extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 tbsp Mirin – this is a Japanese type of rice wine, which means there’s alcohol involved. If you do not drink alcohol or just prefer not to you can leave this out.
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Calabrian Chili – finely sliced. You can sub for any hot chili if you want, like Thai bird’s eye or chile de arbol, but I like the taste that Calabrian chili peppers provide. If you don’t want to add this ingredient you can also leave it out.
- 1 tsp Taragon – finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Green Onion – sliced, for garnish
- Capers – for garnish
Making Scallop Crudo
Add all the ingredients except the scallops, green onion, and capers to a bowl. Whisk everything together. If you don’t like that the oil separates from the rest of the liquid you can add a tablespoon or sunflower lecithin to emulsify.
Use a sharp knife to cut your scallops into thin slices. I try to get 4-5 slices per scallop, which means this recipe is for two people. However there is enough liquid to serve more people so if you have more guests just use more scallops, no need to upscale the liquid ingredients.
Spoon over a few tablespoons of the liquid right into the dish. Sprinkle over some of the green onion and capers if you wish. If you want to prep this dish for a dinner party, you can store it in the fridge for up to an hour. It is best however to just make the sauce in advance and cut the scallops fresh when ready to serve.
Scallop Crudo
Ingredients
- 4 Scallops These should be sea scallops and not bay scallops. Aim for a size listed at 10/20 which means larger and better quality.
- 1/2 cup Grapefruit Juice this is about 120 ml. Freshly squeezed is always preferred but sometimes it's just not possible. In that case a no sugar added carton version is acceptable.
- 1/4 cup Green Tea 60 ml. Only brew green tea for a few minutes. Any longer and you run the risk of it burning and tasting bitter.
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil As this dish is uncooked try to use a high quality and great tasting extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 tbsp Mirin this is a Japanese type of rice wine which means there's alcohol involved. If you do not drink alcohol or just prefer not to you can leave this out.
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Calabrian Chili finely sliced. You can sub for any hot chili if you want like Thai bird's eye or chile de arbol, but I like the taste that Calabrian chili peppers provide. If you don't want to add this ingredient you can also leave it out.
- 1 tsp Taragon finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Green Onion for garnish, sliced
- Capers for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl combine all the ingredients except the scallops, green onion, and capers. Whisk well to combine.
- Thinly slice the scallops so you get about 4-5 slices per whole scallop. Lay the slices down on a plate with a rim
- Add a few tablespoons of the liquid right to the plate. Sprinkle over some of the green onion and the capers and serve.
Notes
