Cucumber Salad with Scallops
Sometimes a simple salad features such powerful flavors that by adding a couple of straightforward ingredients a whole meal appears as if by magic. Here the starting place is a Southeast Asian–style cucumber salad, with a dressing made from lime juice, lemongrass, fish sauce (called nam pla in Thailand and nuoc mam in Vietnam), and a few other strong seasonings. This dressing commingles perfectly with the natural juices of the cucumbers to moisten the greens. Top all with grilled scallops—or other fish or meat—and you create an easy one-dish meal whose flavor really jumps off the plate. It looks lovely, too, especially if your cucumbers are good enough to leave unpeeled. And (although not by design, I assure you), this salad is extremely low in fat.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Peel the cucumbers if they have been waxed, then trim their ends and cut them in half the long way. Scoop out the seeds with an ordinary teaspoon. Sprinkle each half with about 1/4 teaspoon salt, then put them all in a colander. Let drain in the sink for about 30 minutes. Rinse lightly and drain again. Cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices and put in a bowl.
Step 2
Mix together the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, hot pepper to taste, lemongrass, and sugar. Thin with a tablespoon of water. Taste and add more of any flavoring you wish. Toss the dressing with the cucumbers and set aside.
Step 3
Put the greens on a large platter. Put a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Toss the scallops with the oil, then sprinkle them with salt and the cayenne. When the skillet begins to smoke, add the scallops, one at a time and without crowding, until they are all in the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, turning as they brown; depending on their size, cook for 1 to 3 minutes on the second side. (Scallops are best when their interior is slightly underdone; cut into one to check it.)
Step 4
Toss the cucumbers with most of the herbs and spoon them and all of their juices over the greens. Top with the scallops. Drizzle with the sesame oil and top with the remaining herbs. Serve immediately.
Variations
Step 5
A few simple and foolproof additions to the salad:
Step 6
Toss a cup of roughly chopped watercress, arugula, or spinach into the cucumbers before dressing.
Step 7
Add a cup of peeled and minced apple, jícama, or minced bell pepper—preferably red, yellow, or a combination—to the cucumbers.
Step 8
Thinly slice a medium onion and separate it into rings. Salt the rings along with the cucumbers; their flavor will mellow considerably.
Step 9
Increase the amount of fresh herbs to 1 cup.
Step 10
Toss a cup of bean sprouts into the salad
Step 11
Cucumber Salad with Chicken: Marinate 1 to 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts in a mixture of 2 tablespoons nam pla or soy sauce and 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice while the cucumbers drain. Grill or broil the chicken until it is done, about 3 minutes per side. Cut into strips and serve as you would the scallops.
Step 12
Cucumber Salad with Shrimp: Treat the shrimp exactly as you do the scallops: Cook about 1 1/2 pounds shrimp (unpeeled are fine if you’re willing to let your family or guests use their fingers at the table) the same way, until pink all over. Or peel the shrimp and marinate them for about 30 minutes in a mixture of 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Then cook and serve the shrimp as you would the scallops.
