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Scampi pomelo tartare: This 4-ingredient appetizer is perfect for a dinner at home

Morgan Hines   | Paste BN

Looking for an elevated dish to serve during a romantic dinner for two? Perhaps for Valentine's Day?

Well, Michele Casadei Massari's recipe for scampi and pomelo (a fruit similar to a grapefruit) tartare might just be the answer to your culinary wonderings.

"Scampi and pomelo tartare is an elegant dish with a defined flavor thanks to the fatty note of the scampi lightened by the acidic component of the pomelo," Casadei Massari says.

Casadei Massari, founder and executive chef at Lucciola in New York City, shared the recipe for his scampi tartare with Paste BN. You can also see the recipe for his salmon tartare, here.

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Scampi and pomelo tartare

Makes: 2 servings

Time: 10-12 minutes (plus 4 days resting time)

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces of any prawn tail (i.e. shrimp)
  • 1 pomelo (a grapefruit can be substituted here)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Instructions:

  1. Freeze shrimp for at least 4 days then defrost gently in the refrigerator to ensure that no bacteria can form during defrosting.
  2. Clean, removing head and shell.
  3. Eliminate the black filament on the back of the shrimp. It is the casing that, if not eliminated, could leave a bitter taste to the dish.
  4. Cut them coarsely with a knife as to obtain homogeneous portions. I use medium-sized and do not mince them too much otherwise it would look like a mash instead of a tartare.
  5.  Put the diced shrimp in a bowl. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and mix well.
  6. Remove the outer rind of pomelo and cut the slices with a sharp knife the same size as the shrimp, taking care to remove the white inner skin.
  7. Take some juice from pomelo (a couple of teaspoons are enough) to marinate the tartare. 
  8. Mix the ingredients well and complete with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. Let rest for 3 minutes before serving. 

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