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Mastering Scallops
Recipe
45 min

Scallop Ceviche

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Scallop Ceviche
Author: Andrew Janjigian

Recipe By Andrew Janjigian

Published on August 27, 2026

Fresh, raw scallops are the star of this ceviche. They're transformed in flavor and texture with a marinade made with grapefruit, cucumbers, and jalapeño.

Time

45 min

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish or 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Why This Recipe Works

To create a flavorful yet balanced “cooking” liquid for our scallop ceviche, we made what's known as a leche de tigre by blending lime and grapefruit juices, jalapeño, garlic, shallot, ginger, cilantro, and extra-virgin olive oil along with a small amount of scallops (and their otherwise-discarded tendons). Once strained, the liquid was an intensely flavorful and silky-textured emulsion. We then marinated scallops, which we had cut into bite-size pieces and salted briefly to season them, in the leche for just 5 minutes until they were tender and slightly opaque. To complete the dish, we added pieces of bright grapefruit and crisp, refreshing cucumber. We served the ceviche with corn nuts and plantain chips, which provided salty crunch.

Ingredients

1 pound large sea scallops, tendons removed and reserved
Kosher salt
2 red grapefruit
20 sprigs fresh cilantro, plus ¼ cup coarsely chopped
⅓ cup lime juice (3 limes)
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and seeded
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
½ English cucumber, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ⅛-inch pieces
2 cups plantain chips
1 cup corn nuts

Equipment

Blender

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Using sharp knife, cut scallops into ¼-inch pieces. Combine reserved tendons and enough scallop pieces to measure ⅓ cup (2½ ounces) and set aside. Toss remaining scallops with 1 teaspoon salt and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes.
    Recipe Tip
    It is imperative that you use the freshest scallops possible in this recipe. We recommend buying “dry” scallops, which don't have chemical additives and taste better than “wet.” Dry scallops will look ivory or pinkish; wet scallops are bright white.
  2. Juice 1 grapefruit and set aside ½ cup juice. Cut away peel and pith from remaining grapefruit. Holding fruit over bowl, use paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments. Cut grapefruit segments into ¼-inch pieces; set aside.
  3. Process reserved ⅓ cup scallop pieces, 2½ teaspoons salt, reserved grapefruit juice, cilantro sprigs, lime juice, jalapeño, ginger, 2 tablespoons oil, shallot, and garlic in blender until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. (Sauce can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. It will separate slightly; whisk to recombine before proceeding with recipe.)
  4. Add salted scallops, reserved grapefruit segments, and cucumber to bowl with sauce and toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least 5 minutes or up to 15 minutes.
  5. Add chopped cilantro to ceviche and toss to combine. Portion ceviche into individual bowls and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve, passing plantain chips and corn nuts separately.
    Recipe Tip
    Serving the plantain chips and corn nuts separately allows diners to customize their ceviche to suit their taste.

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Scallop Ceviche

Recipe By Andrew Janjigian

Published on August 27, 2026

Time

45 min

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish or 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Scallop Ceviche

Ingredients

1 pound large sea scallops, tendons removed and reservedKosher salt2 red grapefruit20 sprigs fresh cilantro, plus ¼ cup coarsely chopped⅓ cup lime juice (3 limes)1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and seeded1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 small shallot, peeled2 garlic cloves, peeled½ English cucumber, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ⅛-inch pieces2 cups plantain chips1 cup corn nuts

Instructions

  1. Using sharp knife, cut scallops into ¼-inch pieces. Combine reserved tendons and enough scallop pieces to measure ⅓ cup (2½ ounces) and set aside. Toss remaining scallops with 1 teaspoon salt and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes.
    Recipe Tip
    It is imperative that you use the freshest scallops possible in this recipe. We recommend buying “dry” scallops, which don't have chemical additives and taste better than “wet.” Dry scallops will look ivory or pinkish; wet scallops are bright white.
  2. Juice 1 grapefruit and set aside ½ cup juice. Cut away peel and pith from remaining grapefruit. Holding fruit over bowl, use paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments. Cut grapefruit segments into ¼-inch pieces; set aside.
  3. Process reserved ⅓ cup scallop pieces, 2½ teaspoons salt, reserved grapefruit juice, cilantro sprigs, lime juice, jalapeño, ginger, 2 tablespoons oil, shallot, and garlic in blender until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. (Sauce can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. It will separate slightly; whisk to recombine before proceeding with recipe.)
  4. Add salted scallops, reserved grapefruit segments, and cucumber to bowl with sauce and toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least 5 minutes or up to 15 minutes.
  5. Add chopped cilantro to ceviche and toss to combine. Portion ceviche into individual bowls and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve, passing plantain chips and corn nuts separately.
    Recipe Tip
    Serving the plantain chips and corn nuts separately allows diners to customize their ceviche to suit their taste.
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