Thai-Style Nantucket Bay Scallop Ceviche

Ceviche is a refreshing Latin American citrus-marinated seafood dish. In addition to flavor, the citric acid pickles the seafood, denaturing the proteins. This recipe prepares a ceviche of scallops alla Tailandese: We marinate raw scallops in lime juice and Thai aromatics and then serve the scallops with lime, coconut milk, and Thai peppers. Sweet, light, and a tad spicy—this is a delicious dish, and a perfect showcase for Nantucket bay scallops.

Thai-Style Nantucket Bay Scallop Ceviche

Nantucket bay scallops are smaller than other bay scallops, with a soft, tender meat and almost velvety texture. Nantucket's are also sweeter than other scallops, offering a fresh and delicate taste best appreciated raw. They are only dredged in the cold waters of Nantucket harbor by relatively few fisherman operating out of small skiffs. While their limited supply guarantees that they are not cheap—Nantucket bay scallops are often more than double the cost of sea scallops—they are worth every penny. Nantucket bay scallop season starts in November.

For more, see my how to on buying scallops.

Nantucket Bay Scallops

Note: Nantucket bay scallops, small and tender, are best barely cooked, if not raw, and this dish capitalizes on that. Of course, the ceviche process "cooks" the scallops in acid, but the scallops are nonetheless not brought to temperature. Consuming raw seafood, particularly shellfish, may increase your susceptibility to illness.

Makes four servings.

Ingredients:

1 pound dry bay scallops, Nantucket bay if possible, cleaned and dried
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves (bai makrut), hand-torn in half
2 stalks lemongrass (takhrai), only the lower white portion, bruised
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon palm sugar (nam taan pep)
1 shallot, minced
1 red thai bird's eye chili pepper (prik ki nu), sliced thin
2 tablespoons Thai basil (bai horapha), chiffonaded
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons peanuts, crushed

In a bowl with a lid, combine the scallops, lime juice, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass. If all of the scallops are not at least partially submerged in the lime juice, add more. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the marinade from the refrigerator. Strain and reserve the liquid. Carefully separate the scallops from the kaffir lime leaves and the lemongrass, reserving the former and discarding the latter. Combine the strained liquid with the coconut milk, palm sugar, shallot, and red pepper. Stir well to integrated.

Plated, garnished, and ready to serve

Divide the scallops and prepared liquid among chilled serving bowls. Top with the basil, cilantro, and peanuts. Serve immediately. Pairs well with a citric Sauvignon Blanc from the Sancerre appellation in the Loire Valley.