Featured Recipe
Dill Scallops with Pickled Cucumber
By Kate
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Scallops sliced thin, flowered with dill oil, paired with quick-pickled cucumber and a creamy dill yogurt sauce. Shards of kohlrabi and cucumber provide crunch. Buttermilk adds tang and smooths the oil. The scallops are seasoned lightly with sea salt—overdoing kills the delicate flesh. A slight acid snap in pickled cucumber cuts richness. Dill oil made by blanching and blitzing fresh dill into neutral oil then strained. Yogurt sauce sharp with dijon and lemon, balanced by garlic and fresh dill. Serve immediately once plated to keep textures bright and fresh.
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Prep:
65 min
Cook:
5 min
Total:
Serves:
4 servings
scallops
seafood
French cuisine
dill
pickling
Introduction
Raw scallops sliced wafer thin. Fragrant dill oil sharp and herbaceous. Pickled cucumber with a sweet tang, crunchy shards of kohlrabi and cucumber diced fine to brighten each bite. Dairy tang from a mustard-laced yogurt base. This is seafood with multiple textures; silky scallops, snapping veg, sour acid balance. No fuss. No overcooking. Technique here hinges on recognizing the sign of a fresh scallop — translucent, firm, without fishy smell. The blanching of dill captures color and freshness before rough blending. Filtering oil keeps smooth mouthfeel without gritty bits. Acid levels measured by taste — more sugar curves sharp edges, a pinch of salt highlights data points. It’s a layering game. Assembly timing crucial. Pour dressing last to keep scallops pristine. Plates served fast, scallops fragile when sitting. Knowing these elements turns a simple dish into something that looks and tastes complex.
Ingredients
Pickled Cucumber
- 3/4 cucumber English style, thinly sliced on mandoline
- 80 ml rice vinegar
- 80 ml water
- 50 g sugar
- Pinch salt
- 3/4 bunch dill, stalks and fronds roughly chopped
- 480 ml neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
- 240 ml full-fat plain yogurt
- 40 ml chopped fresh dill
- 20 ml Dijon mustard
- Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 small kohlrabi, peeled and diced small
- 1/2 cucumber English, diced small
- 60 ml cultured buttermilk or kefir
- 8 U12 scallops, patted dry, sliced horizontally into 3 thin pieces
- Flaky sea salt
Dill Oil
Dill Yogurt
Garnish and Assembly
About the ingredients
English cucumbers preferred for thin, seedless slices holding crunch after pickling. Sugar amount reduced slightly to keep acid present and avoid overly sweet pickle, balancing freshness by reading taste and texture. Dill oil uses blanched dill — raw causes bitterness, brown bits spoil appearance and flavor. If no fresh dill, try fennel fronds or parsley with lemon zest added for brightness, though flavor profile shifts. Neutral oil ensures dill shines; avoid olive oil which overwhelms. Yogurt preferably plain full fat for creaminess; Greek style adds thickness but may overpower with tartness. Dijon mustard softens lemon’s sharpness, garlic adds depth without pungency due to mincing fine. Kohlrabi substituted with celery root or radish slices if unavailable, again diced small for contrast. Buttermilk substitute: plain kefir or watered-down yogurt with lemon juice for similar acidity. Scallops should be U12 or smaller for tenderness and ease to slice; dry thoroughly to prevent excess water in dish which dulls dressing adherence.
Method
Pickled Cucumber
- Place cucumber slices in a glass jar about 400 ml capacity.
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to gentle boil stirring until sugar dissolves — no grainy sugar bits remain. Remove heat and allow mixture to cool to room temp before pouring over cucumber slices. Seal jar and refrigerate for 20-22 hours. Pickling faster than 24 hours softens cucumber too much, losing crunch required here.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanche dill for 25 seconds until just bright green and fragrant. Shock immediately in ice water to retain color and arrest cooking. Dry dill thoroughly between clean kitchen towels to avoid watery oil and spoilage.
- In blender, blitz the drained dill with oil on high speed for 1 to 1.5 minutes until fully emulsified with vibrant green hue. Strain through fine mesh or coffee filter lined funnel to remove bits. Discard solids or compost. Refrigerate oil in airtight container, swirl before use to reincorporate any separation.
- Whisk together yogurt, fresh dill, dijon, lemon zest and juice, and minced garlic. Season lightly with salt. Chill until assembly. This adds creaminess and acid to cut the oil and raw scallops.
- Toss diced kohlrabi and cucumber with 3 tablespoons of dill yogurt. Season sparingly with salt to brighten without watering down crunch.
- Mix buttermilk and 55 ml dill oil gently in a small jug — drizzle texture is thin yet silky, glossed with herb aroma.
- On large platter or 4 plates, lay scallop slices spaced, not crowded — raw scallop flesh is tender, don't smother.
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt lightly so flakes dissolve slowly in mouth enhancing sweetness without overwhelming.
- Scatter kohlrabi-cucumber salad unevenly to crunch in every bite. Add several pickled cucumber slices for acidity punch.
- Delicately drizzle the buttermilk-dill oil mixture over scallops and plate. Use light hand to avoid drowning flavors, aroma released when just poured.
- Serve immediately. Raw scallops do not wait well; moisture release dulls texture and liquid dilutes dressing.
- Cleanup tip: Use leftover oil on salads or steamed seafood. Pickled cucumber lasts up to 3 days refrigerated; kohlrabi mix best fresh.
Dill Oil
Dill Yogurt
Assembly
Technique Tips
Pickling requires cool temp and time — sugar dissolved in hot vinegar mix ensures no graininess and uniform flavor absorption. Avoid heating cucumbers directly to preserve crunch — pour cooled brine on. Dill blanching timing matters; too long dulls green and softens herb profile while underblanching yields grassy bitterness and dark oil. Shock in ice water stops cooking instantly and keeps color bright. Oil blending runs high speed until full emulsification, then filtering removes any grit or broken dill stems, crucial to prevent mouthfeel distractions. Yogurt mix well combined to avoid lumps; let sit to marry flavors but balance garlic, which can dominate if left too long. Scallops sliced thin for texture; if overcut, lose bite and risk falling apart. Flaky sea salt sprinkled just before serving keeps texture intact; granular salt won’t dissolve fast enough and can overpower bites. Assembly sequence keeps components fresh: crunchy salad mixed last minute, drizzle dressing only before serving. Serve plates promptly — scallops exude moisture at room temp causing dilution of flavors quickly. Use nearby fridge to hold prep fresh. Little cheats: save any remaining oil for roasted potatoes or greens, pickled cucumber makes a solid sandwich topping or salad addition next day.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Chill seafood before slicing. Cold scallops cut easier. Avoid pressing down hard. Keep knife sharp. Thin slices showcase freshness. Don't crowd — space helps air circulate.
- 💡 Pickle cucumbers longer for firmer texture. More crunch means less water. Stop the process when they're still crisp. Keep the brine cool when pouring; hot can soften.
- 💡 Dill oil blending needs high speed. Look for bright green color. Strain thoroughly. Avoid grit. Use fresh dill only. Fennel can substitute in a pinch, shift flavors.
- 💡 Yogurt sauce balances flavors. Mix early to let ingredients blend. Minced garlic softens when sitting. Don’t let it dominate. Use full-fat yogurt for creaminess.
- 💡 Let components come together just before serving. Scallops exude moisture fast, diluting flavors. Assembly matters — fresh salad last, drizzle oil just before plating.
