JASON WEINER’S SCALLOP AND FENNEL CRUDO
6 oz. ‘Dry Pack’ or ‘DayBoat’ Sea Scallops
1Bulb Baby Fennel
1 Lemon
6 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sel Gris to taste
A White Pepper Mill
10 Chives cut into match sticks
Remove the “foot” from the scallops. I’m talking about the tough translucent strip that may be attached to the side of the scallops.
Slice the scallops as thin as possible crosswise.
Divide them into four portions and shingle them into four pinwheels onto a plate
Squeeze half the lemon and drizzle half the olive oil on to the scallops. Refrigerate while you prepare the fennel.
Using a Japanese mandolin if you have one, shave the fennel bulb as thinly as possible. Roughly chop some of the green fronds found on the top of the fennel.
In a small mixing bowl, toss the fennel with the juice from the rest of the lemon, the rest of the olive, sel gris, and a couple of turns from the pepper mill. Arrange the fennel salad in piles on four chilled 4” plates. Drape the scallop pinwheels on top of the fennel. Season the scallops with the sel gris and white pepper. Garnish with the chives.
Note: Your fish monger may have scallop shells. You can use these as “plates” for a more dramatic presentation.
Jason Weiner is the chef-partner of Almond Restaurant in Bridgehampton and Almondito in East Hampton.
www.almondrestaurant.com
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