Tacos with Citrus Vodka Scallops for National Vodka Day & Taco Day

Oct. 4th is both National Vodka Day and Taco Day. It just so happens that one of our favorite recipes for a scallop taco combines both! This grilled scallop taco gets it's big flavor from a vodka lime marinade. How perfect is that to celebrate the day?

It is a fairly simple recipe. We suggest you grill the scallops outdoors for that great smoky flavor, but you could cook them inside under a broiler or on a ridged fry pan as well.

The Recipe for Tacos with Citrus Vodka Scallops is as Follows:

Ingredients

- 1 pound large sea scallops (about 15), abductor muscle removed from side of each if attached

- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

- 2 navel oranges

- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

- 2 tablespoon lime vodka

- 1 English seedless cucumber, thinly sliced

- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallot

- 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh jalapeño chile, including seeds

- 2 medium sized avocados, ripe, but not overripe. Peeled, pitted, and diced

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

- 8 warm corn tortillas

- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese.

- Bamboo skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Prepare the Taco Vegetables & the Vodka Marinade:

- In a glass bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime vodka, 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots, and 1 to 1½ tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño chile.

- Peel and section your navel orange, making certain to remove all the white pith. Coarsely chop and transfer the diced oranges to your glass bowl with the vodka lime marinade. Fold the ingredients to cover the oranges.

- Peel and thinly slice your English seedless cucumber and add to the bowl.

- Stir the ingredients in the bowl to cover the cucumber with the vodka marinade.

- Dice your avocado. Place in the bowl with your cucumbers and marinade, then gently fold to cover the avocado dices. Be gentle and try not to smash the avocado in the process.

- Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap, pressing the cling down to completely touch the ingredients (this will help keep your avocado from starting to brown). Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you cook the scallops.

- Finely chop your cilantro and set aside.

Prepare & Grill the Scallops

- Make certain the abductor muscle has been removed from each scallop. If you feel any grit on your scallops, rinse them under cold water. In any case, pat dry with paper towels to help brown the scallops.

- Toss scallops with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then thread 4-5 scallops onto each soaked bamboo skewer.

- Oil your grill rack. Place the scallops on your prepared hot grill and cook covered for 2-½ minutes per side for a total of 5 minutes. Do not overcook! Scallops will get rubbery if overcooked.

- Take your scallops off the grill and place on a plate to cool for approximately 5 minutes.

- When you can handle the scallops without getting burned, cut each scallop into quarters and then gently fold the scallops and your reserved cilantro into your bowl with the marinated vegetables and orange pieces.

- Using a slotted spoon to drain some of the lime marinade, place the ingredients into your warm tortilla shells, top with crumbled cotija cheese, then serve them up on Rapids Taco Plates!