East AsianMedium · Cold
Chilled Scallop Tartare with Snap Peas and Sesame Oil
A light, elegant tartare of raw scallops paired with crisp snap peas and a drizzle of fragrant sesame oil, brightened with lemon and finished with fresh herbs.
Prep
20 min
Cook
5 min
Total
25 min
Method
1
2
Using a sharp knife, cut each scallop horizontally into 3-4 thin medallions. Arrange on a chilled plate and return to refrigerator until ready to plate.
3
In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and cracked black pepper until lightly emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon or salt as needed.
A
Nutri-Score
Excellent balance
A–E · lower is better · score -2
Calories
185
per serving
High in protein · 15gLow sugar · 2gLow saturated fat · 2g
Protein
15g
Carbs
8g
Fat
11g
Sat. fat
2g
Fiber
3g
Sugar
2g
Sodium
487mg
Dairy FreeGluten FreeLow CarbLow SugarPescatarianAnti InflammatoryDiabetesHeart HealthyWeight ManagementLean ProteinLow CalorieOmega 3
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
Flavor Profile
6
Umami
4
Sweet
4
Salty
3
Sour
1
Bitter
0
Spicy
Textures
Crisp TenderSilkySmooth
Aromas
CitrusHerbalNutty
Kitchen Equipment
Primary Tool
Small SaucepanSafety & Storage
High Risk Population
Raw scallops present significant foodborne illness risk for pregnant women, elderly, young children, and immunocompromised individuals. Consider cooking scallops to 145°F if serving to vulnerable populations.
Temperature
Maintain scallops at 40°F (4°C) or below until ready to serve. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours total during preparation and assembly.
Cross Contamination
Use dedicated cutting boards and utensils for raw scallops. Never place blanched snap peas or other ready-to-eat items on surfaces that contacted raw seafood without sanitizing first.
Storage
Store raw scallops on ice or in the coldest part of refrigerator. Use within 1-2 days of purchase. Keep prepared tartare refrigerated until plating.
Handling
Work quickly with scallops on chilled surfaces. Return scallops to refrigerator immediately after cutting. Sanitize all contact surfaces after handling raw mollusks.
Shelf Life
This dish contains raw seafood and should be consumed within 2 hours of assembly. Do not store leftover tartare for reuse.
Sourcing
Only use sushi-grade or sashimi-quality scallops from a trusted fishmonger or supplier that follows proper cold chain handling. Request documentation of proper refrigeration and ask about the harvest date. Do not use previously frozen scallops for raw consumption unless explicitly labeled as safe for raw use.
Pro Tips
Technique
When you blanch those snap peas, forty-five seconds is not a suggestion — it is a promise to yourself. You want them tender but still fighting back, and that ice bath is not optional. Stop the cooking or lose the brightness. The scallops stay cold because they were born in cold water, and they remember.
Substitution
If you find sesame oil too assertive, you can replace it with a good walnut oil or even toasted hazelnut oil — still fragrant, still interesting, just softer. I would not reach for anything sweet, mind you. This dish wants to taste of something, not nothing.
From the chef
Raw scallops ask very little of you — a sharp knife, a cold plate, and the restraint not to cook them. Cut into thin medallions, they go translucent and cool against the snap of blanched peas, and the sesame oil does something unexpected: it carries the lemon without fighting it, fragrant rather than heavy. Olive oil grounds everything, and the chives and parsley scattered over the top keep it honest and bright. This is seafood at its most unguarded, and that is exactly when it is at its best.
TagsNo CookRawSeafoodLightElegantSummerQuick
AllergensMollusksSesame
Source: generated · June 13, 2026