Scallops for Punky

A throwback seafood salad in the chef-salad mold, where everything is arranged in tidy piles around a center of cool, marinated scallops. Gentle poaching followed by a long marinade is what gives the scallops their texture: firm enough to hold up to a fork, tender enough that you don’t need a knife.

The poaching liquid does double duty. Water seasoned with lemon, peppercorns, and onion is a quick court bouillon, and simmering it five minutes before adding the scallops infuses the broth with flavor first. The scallops only need 10 minutes of gentle simmer; any harder and they turn rubbery.

The tarragon vinegar in the marinade is what makes this dish read as somewhat fancy rather than ordinary. It carries a soft, anise-like sweetness that plays well with seafood, distinct enough from plain white vinegar to be worth seeking out.

Chill for several hours so the scallops actually take on the marinade. A 30-minute cheat won’t deliver the same depth of flavor.

Pro Tips

• Use bay (small) scallops for this salad, not sea scallops, the smaller ones absorb the marinade better and arrange beautifully on the plate.
• Pat the scallops bone-dry before they hit the cold marinade so it grips and seasons evenly.
• Slice radishes paper-thin on a mandoline for crispness and visual contrast against the milder ingredients.
• The 1 cup of sliced garlic in the recipe is unusual and almost certainly an error; one or two cloves is more sensible for this dressing.

Variations

• Add chilled cooked shrimp alongside the scallops for a mixed seafood salad.
• Swap cheddar for crumbled feta or fresh mozzarella for a more Mediterranean profile.
• Stir a teaspoon of Dijon mustard into the marinade for body and a sharper bite.