Seafood Pomelo and California Avocado Salad with Scallion Rice Noodles
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Lemongrass Court Bouillon (recipe follows) Poached Scallops and Prawns (recipe follows) Scallion Rice Noodles (recipe follows) Salad Marinade (recipe follows) 3 each small pomelo (substitution, 2 red grapefruit for each pomelo) 3 large Fresh California Avocado* 3/4 cup mint leaves, chiffonade As needed As needed scallion oil for garnish As needed Optional garnishes of crushed dry peanuts, fried shallots, sriracha hot sauce Lemongrass Court Bouillon 10 stalks lemongrass, older leaves removed, crushed or "spanked" 8 inches ginger, washed, sliced into 8 tsp. kosher salt 4 qt. water Poached Scallops and Prawns 1 1/2 cups sea scallops 3 lb. medium to large prawns, peeled and deveined 3 Tbsp. kosher salt Scallion Rice Noodle Preparation 10 1/4 oz. dry rice noodles, (mai fun) 4 cups scallions, washed and chopped 3/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp. kosher salt Salad Marinade 10 Tbsp. sugar 6 Tbsp. water 2/3 fish sauce 1 cup lime or lemon juice 2 each large garlic cloves 3 each bird's eye or Thai chilie, seeded and minced 1/4 cup Thai basil, chiffonade 1/4 Ram Rau (laksa leaves), chiffonade (chopped sprigs of fennel fronds may be substituted if Ram Rau is not available)Instructions
Assembly
Lemongrass Court Bouillon
Poached Scallops and Prawns
Scallion Rice Noodle
Salad Marinade
*A large Fresh California Avocado weighs about 8 oz.
-
- Slice the top and bottom off the pomelo, sit it down on one end and cut the skin and pitt off the fruit, using the white pith as a guide for your next cut. Over a bowl, carefully cut out the sections of the fruit from the membrane. Place the fruit in the bowl and set aside.
- Cube 2/3rds of the Fresh California Avocado into 1/2″ cubes, add to the bowl of fruit. Cut the remaining Fresh California Avocados into quarters, and slice each quarter into a fan. Top the fan with some of the marinade to prevent oxidation. Set the fans aside for garnish.
- Add 3/4 Cups of marinade (for 12 servings) to the bowl of pomelo and avocado and toss. Let stand for 5 minutes. Gently fold in the mint and Poached Prawns and Scallops. Add more marinade to taste and let stand for an additional 5 minutes.
- Plating for each serving: On a square or rectangular plate, make a nest of the scallion noodles on the right side. Top with a leaf or prawn for garnish. On the left side place the avocado fan down the center. Gently scoop the salad into a mound on top of the top of the fan. Garnish with a drizzle of scallion oil. Add additional optional garnishes of crushed dry roasted peanuts, fried shallots, or Sriracha sauce.
- Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and let simmer 15 minutes. Strain the broth and return to the pot over medium heat.
- Rinse the scallops and slice them horizontally into 1/4″ – 1/2″ even slices. Poach in Lemongrass Court Bouillon 2 -3 minutes or until opaque and barely cooked though the center. Remove the scallops from the liquid and let them rest in a single layer on a plate.
- In a bowl combine kosher salt and prawns. Kneed the salt into the prawns for 1 minute to “crystal wash” them (to provide a crunchy texture when cooked.) Rinse the prawns well and poach in the lemongrass court bouillon for 2 -3 minutes or until the prawns turn pink. Remove the prawns from the liquid and let them rest in a single layer on a plate.
- Prepare the rice noodles in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, until al dente, drain and immediately rinse with cold water. Drain well and place on a sheet pan to air dry for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the scallions in a heat proof bowl.
- Heat the oil to smoking in a pan. Just as oil starts to smoke, pour the oil over the scallions (The scallions will spit as the oil hits them so take care). Stir and add salt. Once the scallions stop sizzling, puree in a blender.
- When the noodles are dry to the touch/sticky, pour in 2 1/4 Cups of the sauce (for 12 servings). Set aside to cool at room temperature.
- Wisk together the sugar, water, fish sauce and lime or lemon sauce until the sugar is dissolved. Add the garlic, chili, Thai basil and Ram Rau and let stand for 30 minutes. Or make ahead adn refrigerate, for up to 2 days.
*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
Did You Know?
Salads with California Avocados are a great way to enjoy the benefits of in-season eating. Salads also go well with grilling recipes.
As with all fruits and vegetables, wash avocados before cutting. Check out our tips for how to choose and use California Avocados
Comments