-
1
Combine onion, juices, jalapeno, and salt in a bowl.
-
2
Poach scallops in 4 quarts of simmering salted water, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through (scallops should be opaque with centers slightly pink), about 1 minute.
-
3
Drain scallops and gently toss with marinade.
-
4
Marinate scallops, covered and chilled, 3 hours.
-
5
Boil pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.
-
6
Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
-
7
Rinse briefly under cold running water to stop cooking (dont cool pasta completely) and drain well.
-
8
Toss pasta with extra-virgin olive oil.
-
9
Heat 1/4 inch olive or vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking.
-
10
Form cakes by dropping a few strands of loosely squiggled pasta into a 1-tablespoon measure to fill it and inverting tablespoon into oil, flattening cake slightly if necessary.
-
11
(If strands in bowl become too sticky to handle, stir in a little reserved pasta water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
-
12
You need some starch from pasta to hold cake together, but you dont want strands to become wet.)
-
13
Cook cakes, 4 at a time, until crisp, 45 seconds to 1 minute per side, and drain on paper towels.
-
14
Season cakes with salt.
-
15
Soak onion in cold water to cover 20 minutes, then drain and rinse well.
-
16
Stir together onion, cilantro, tomatillos, tomato, jalapeno, and salt and chill, covered, until ready to use.
-
17
Lift scallops out of marinade and put 1 on top of each pasta cake.
-
18
Top with salsa and serve immediately.
