Oceana's Sauteed Nantucket Bay Scallops With Citrus Salad and Mamey

By Executive Chef Ben Pollinger
(Serves 4 as an appetizer)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Natucket Bay Scallops
• 1 Cup mamey pulp
• 1 Tbs fresh lime juice
• Segments from the following citrus fruits: pomelo, cara cara orange, sweet lime, ponderosa lemon, Satsuma mandarin.
• Reserved zest of all fruits except the pomelo.
• 1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs ginger, minced
• 1 Tbs chilis, sliced
• 8 leaves Thai basil chiffonade
• 8 leaves mint chiffonade
• 8 leaves cilantro chiffonade
• Salt, fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 Cup toasted charoli nuts
• Pith from 1 pomelo
• 1 1/2 pounds sugar
• 1 Cup water

Preparation for the citrus salad:
(Citrus substitutions – Navel oranges, ruby red grapefruit, tangerines and regular lemons or limes will also do when pomelo is not available.  Avocado may substitute for mamey.)   

• Puree the mamey pulp in a blender with the lime juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.
• Cut the citrus segments into small pieces.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle zest, ginger and chilis around.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Reserve. 
• At time of plating toss with herbs. When preparing pomelo segments, use a utility knife or vegetable peeler to peel off the outer zest first.  Discard zest.
• Then cut the fruit in quarters and remove the inner flesh.  Square off the four quarters of remaining pith. Boil them for twenty minutes and rinse in several changes of cold water. 
• Combine pith, sugar and water in small saucepan.  Melt sugar and simmer together gently until pomelo is candied, approximately 45 minutes.  Reserve in syrup.  When cool dice 1/4 inches small.

Preparation for the Scallops:
Season scallops with salt and pepper… Sauté in canola oil with a litlle butter, swirling so butter browns and scallops cook to an even golden brown but remain medium rare inside.

Plate a few dollops of mamey puree to one side of plate.  Evenly distribute citrus salad.  Distribute a few pieces of candied pomelo around.  Sprinkle with toasted charoli nuts.  Garnish with a few sprigs of spicy micro greens, a few limequat chips and a drizzle of kaffir lime oil.  Distribute scallops evenly.

Address: 55 East 54th St., btwn. Madison & Park Aves.
Phone: (212)759-5941

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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