INGREDIENTS:
For the pico de piñata (jicama and peanut slaw)
- 1 cup diced jicama (1/4-inch pieces)
- 2 large clementines or 1 navel orange, peeled and diced (1 cup)
- Juice of 1 large clementine or 1/2 navel orange
- Juice of 1 lime (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 habanero chile, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped chicharrones (fried pork rinds; optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped, salted, roasted peanuts
For the scallops
- 1 pound sea scallops
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 8 to 10 soft corn or flour tortillas, warm
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Make the pico de piñata
- Stir together the jicama, clementine or orange segments and juice, lime juice, if desired, red onion, cilantro, chile, and salt. (If using lime juice, aim to use half as much lime juice as orange or clementine juice.) Set aside.
Cook the scallops
- Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot. While the skillet is heating, pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season them with salt. Add the oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom. Immediately add the scallops, one by one so they aren’t touching, and cook, without moving, until the undersides are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. (When the scallops are ready, they will move when you shake the pan or nudge them with a metal spatula because their browned crust will release them from the pan.) Flip the scallops and sear on the other side until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more, depending on the size of the scallops.
Assemble the tacos
- Add the chicharrones, if using, and peanuts to the pico de piñata. Cut the scallops into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces. Pile the scallops and pico de piñata on the tortillas. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing, if desired.