When power goes out, we still need to eat.
Here's a no cooking necessary recipe from Flavor Exposed '100 Global Recipes from Sweet to Salty, Earthy to Spicy' (Kyle Books, Spring 2012) by Angelo Sosa.
Scallop and Banana Tartare with Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Serves: 4 Time: About 20 minutes Flavors: Sweet/Spicy/Acidic
This is one of my favorite dishes. There’s something so simple
about it (no cooking, for one thing) but still so complex. The naturally sweet scallops
and ripe banana combined with the spicy notes from the jalapeño vinaigrette are
just . . . yummy.
Jalapeño Vinaigrette
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons yuzu juice (see Box)
or lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound bay scallops
1 green Thai chile, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper
fresh dill sprigs
1 First make the Jalapeño
Vinaigrette: Place the jalapeño, yuzu juice, sugar, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth; chill in the
refrigerator until ready to use.
2 Clean the bay scallops by
removing the side muscle (abductor muscle) and rinsing them under cool water. Pat them dry with paper towels and
cut them into 1/4-inch dice. Put the scallops in
a medium bowl and toss them with the Thai chile, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; mix
well.
3 Peel the banana and cut it into
1/4-inch dice. Put it in a small bowl and add the remaining teaspoon of salt, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive
oil, and the sugar. Mix gently to combine but try to retain the texture and shape of
the banana.
4 Put a spoonful of the banana
mixture on each serving plate. Top with a generous spoonful of the scallops, a sprinkling of pepper, and a few dill
sprigs. To serve, drizzle the vinaigrette around the bed of tartare.
Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that is about the size of a
tangerine and pretty sour. I love its fragrant, tangy flavor and use it a lot in my food. You don’t see
it everywhere, but one of my favorite stores in New York City is Kalustyan’s—it’s a spice and
exotic ingredient paradise— and they always carry it (you can order it online; see page 15).
In a pinch, swap lemon juice for the yuzu—it makes a perfectly good substitute.
(* Recipe from Flavor Exposed '100 Global Recipes from Sweet to Salty, Earthy to Spicy' (Kyle Books, April 2012) by Angelo Sosa with foreword by Alain Ducasse, Photos by William Brinson, reproduced with permission of the publisher, all rights reserved)