Serves 6

 Tequila ice
 1 cup sugar
 1 cup water
 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lime juice
 1 Tablespoon lime zest
 ½ oz tequila
 Ancho chili paste
 2 ancho chilis
 1 cup orange juice
2 seedless oranges, sectioned
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 lb + fresh, dry scallops, cut into 1/2 “ chunks
1 small red onion, julienned
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves picked and kept covered with a damp cloth
1 jalapeño chili, seeds removed and finely julienned
1 poblano chili, roasted, peeled, seeds removed and julienned
1 avocado, cut into cubes
2 scallions, chopped
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup of the best extra virgin olive oil you have.  (I use Tuscan Laudemio)
1 cup sour cream
3 limes, 2 cut into 6 slit rounds, the rest for squeezing
tortilla chips
6 martini or margarita glasses

This scallop ceviche is very easy to make.  There are only two small projects to complete the day before:
Tequila Ice:  Combine the sugar and water in a small heavy based sauce pan.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, zest and tequila.  Stir well and pour into a flat container the proper size to allow for a layer of liquid about ¾” thick.  Put into the freezer and allow at least 6 hours for it to be well iced.  Pass a fork throughout the ice about every hour to loosen the mixture and help create ice flakes. 
Ancho chili puree:  Remove the stem and seeds from the ancho chilis, place in a small sauce pan and cover them with orange juice.  Heat gently until the chilis are soft.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.  Puree all in a blender and pass through a sieve.  Mix the orange sections with 1 tablespoon of the ancho puree, 2 ounces of the olive oil, salt and pepper.  Keep covered in the refrigerator.  The extra ancho puree can be frozen in small packets for later use.

Mise en place is the key to the rest of this quick dish.  One hour before serving, mix the diced scallops, ½ of the red onion, a few sprigs of cilantro and a few slivers of jalapeño together and cover with 1 cup of the lime juice.  Cover and keep in the refrigerator.  Toss the scallops every twenty minutes to make sure they are being evenly marinated with the lime juice. 
During that hour, prepare all of your ingredients as listed above. Also, prepare your margarita glasses by rubbing the edge of each glass with lime juice and then placing each glass upside down into a plate of kosher salt.
After 45-60 minutes, check your scallops for doneness by tasting a piece and seeing if it is too your liking.  Keep them in the lime juice longer if they are underdone or marinate them less the next time if they are overdone.  When ready, drain the lime juice from the scallops and pick out the onion, cilantro and jalapeño.  Place the scallops into a large bowl and add the poblano chili, jalapeño, red onion, scallion, cilantro, avocado, salt and pepper.  Add a good drizzle of the olive oil and the juice of the remaining lime.  Mix gently and taste for acid/fat balance and adjust with more oil or lime juice or salt and pepper, if necessary. 

To arrange, separate the scallop mixture into six even portions.  Place half of each portion in the bottom of each glass, spread a tablespoonful of sour cream over the scallops, followed by some marinated orange sections and then the rest of the portion of scallops.  Top with a small scoop of tequila ice and place a lime round on the edge of each glass. 

Serve with tortilla chips on the side.

DEEEEEELICIOUS!

Serves 6

3 heads endive
1 head frisée, separated from the stem, cleaned and spun dry
1 small head of radicchio, cut into 1/2” bands
6 oz port vinaigrette (see recipe)
1 medium red onion, cut into julienne
1  cup walnuts, toasted, chopped and dusted
9-12 oz Maytag Blue Cheese OR blue cheese of your choice, crumbled
3 Bartlett or Bosc pears, raw or poached (see recipe)

Toast the walnuts in the oven until lightly colored, about 10 minutes.  This will activate the nut oils and help bring out their natural sweetness.  When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the nuts and then place in a colander or large holed strainer and shake until most of the bitter skins or “dust” is removed.  Set aside until ready to use.   The nuts can also be prepared ahead and kept well covered.

Arrange 4-5 spears of endive across the top of each plate.  Toss together the frisee, radicchio, onions, walnuts and some of the port vinaigrette.  Season with salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust to your liking with more vinaigrette, salt or pepper.  Be careful not to overdress.  Place a fluffy cluster of the salad mix in the center of each plate at the base of the endive spears, letting a bit of onion and walnut fall on the spears.  Drizzle a bit of dressing on each endive spear.  Arrange fanned slices of pear wherever you like and sprinkle with a generous amount of crumbled blue cheese, making sure to let some fall on each of the endive spears.  Delicious.