Makes 20 pieces / Serves 4
Tell the fishmonger you want dry scallops, which means they haven’t been injected with preservatives that make them wet. Those scallops tend to shrink by half and bleed a milky substance when you cook them. Even worse, they don’t brown properly. A dry scallop smells like the ocean and is slightly tacky to the touch.
1¼ cups Brown Sushi Rice (here)
4 dry sushi-grade sea or diver scallops (see headnote), patted dry, each thinly sliced crosswise into 5 rounds
Extra virgin olive oil for rubbing
Scant ½ cup Roasted Tomato Pesto (here)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, mint, dill) for garnish
Wet your hands and scoop 1 tablespoon of the rice into one palm. Make a fist around it to shape into a ½- x 1-inch rectangle. Push the ends in with your thumb and index finger to create clean edges. Put the rice block on a platter and repeat with the remaining rice.
Drape a slice of scallop over each rectangle, then rub with olive oil. Spoon a teaspoon of the pesto onto each and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the herbs and serve immediately.