no-cook ceviche of bay scallops cured in lemon and lime juice, folded with watermelon, radish, and fresh herbs

Eating something raw takes a different kind of trust than eating something cooked. There is no flame here to reassure you the job is done. The lemon and lime juice do that work instead, turning the scallops from translucent to opaque over a matter of minutes, and once you have watched that shift happen with your own eyes, it gets easier to trust the next time.

That trust starts before the citrus ever touches the bowl. A scallop lived in cold water before it reached your kitchen, and because nothing here gets heated, the quality you start with is the entire dish. Ask the fish counter when the scallops actually came in, keep them cold on the way home, and use them the same day you buy them.

Zinc is where scallops do real work on your plate, a mineral immune regulation depends on around the clock, with a secondary role in thyroid function that matters if Autoimmune thyroid disease is part of your picture. The citrus juice helps your body absorb minerals from the rest of the bowl too. Fold the watermelon in gently, keep the colors distinct, and eat it soon. This dish does not hold the way leftovers do.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bay scallops
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Juice from 2 lemons
• Juice from 2 limes
• 2 cups diced watermelon, seedless or seeds removed
• 4 small radishes, sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Mint or cilantro leaves, for garnish

Method

Check the scallops and remove any tough side muscles - the small rectangular tag on the side of each scallop that sometimes remains after processing. Pat the scallops dry.

Place the scallops in a glass or ceramic bowl - not metal, which can react with the citrus acid. Add the minced red onion and salt. Pour the lemon and lime juice over the top. The scallops should be mostly submerged in the citrus. If your lemons and limes are small, add a little more juice.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Bay scallops are small and cure quickly in acid - check them at 20 minutes. They are ready when they have turned opaque from translucent, which means the acid has 'cooked' the protein. For a firmer texture and milder raw flavour, leave them for up to 45 minutes.

When the scallops are cured to your liking, drain off some of the citrus liquid if you want a less sharp result, or keep it all if you enjoy the bright, acidic flavour.

Add the diced watermelon and sliced radishes. Fold everything together gently so the watermelon does not break up. Drizzle with the olive oil and fold once more.

Spoon into bowls or small glasses. Scatter mint or cilantro leaves over the top. Serve immediately - the watermelon begins to weep after about an hour, so this is best eaten soon after assembly.

*Adapted from gutsybynature.com (Jaime Hartman)*