Scallop ceviche

To make ceviche, small cubes or slivers of fish or shellfish are submerged in citrus juice, often with chili peppers or other seasonings, until the marinade changes the appearance and texture of the fish much the same way that heat would. But there is no cooking, so the dish tastes wonderfully refreshing. Scallops are the safest shellfish to eat raw because they do not filter seawater like other shellfish, such as oysters.

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 2 1/2 to 3 hours marinating

Serves 4

• 450 g (1 lb) sea scallops, thinly sliced into slivers
• 2 to 5 ml (1/2 to 1 tsp) minced jalapeño (more if you like it hot)
• 125 ml (1/2 c) freshly squeezed lime juice
• 125 ml (1/2 c) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) finely chopped red onion
• 50 g (1/4 c) finely chopped red and/or yellow pepper

1. In a non-reactive bowl, mix together the slivered sea scallops, chili and lime and lemon juices. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator until opaque and firm, 1 1/2 to two hours, depending on how thin the scallops are cut.
2. Drain, discarding the marinade. Stir in the scallions, red onion and peppers. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. Serve chilled.

• Seafood takes surprisingly well to fruit, and fruit adds vital nutrients to your diet. In this dish, add some potassium-rich bananas and manganese-packed pineapples, which can help reduce your risk of high blood pressure and strengthen your bones.
• After boiling the marinade and stirring in the butter to make the sauce, brush one lengthwise-sliced banana and four crosswise-slices of pineapple with the sauce.
• Grill the fruit alongside the scallops just until nicely grill-marked, two to four minutes per side, then coarsely chop and serve with the scallops and remaining sauce.

Nutritional information per serving: 122 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 9 g carbs, 20 g protein, 1 g fibre, 37 mg cholesterol, 185 mg sodium, 40 mg calcium.