by DANYELLE FREEMAN
New York's Bravest were out in full force Wednesday night, admirably representing their respective stations on the culinary front at NYC's Firehouse Museum fund-raiser.
They proved themselves talented chefs at the Firehouse Tasting Celebration and Auction, an edible effort to raise money for the restoration of the New York Fire Department's historic treasures.
It was a gourmet free-for-all as guests flocked to sample a dizzying array of firefighter-made plates, including panko-crusted goat cheese medallions, seafood diablo and shrimp bisque.
Manhattan Ladder 1's Billy Benitez, for example, served wild striped bass, caught in Long Island waters, sauced with corn and cilantro, atop grape tomatoes.
Celebrity chef Daisy Martinez seemed partial to Jerry Bonner's (also Manhattan Ladder 1) savory sausage and white bean soup, but we both agreed the favorite was Keith Young's (Brooklyn's Ladder 156) scallop ceviche - a dish that ironically never touches a flame.
Simple and fresh, the luscious scallops shimmered in a light marinade of lime juice, diced onions, tomatoes and parsley. A touch of cilantro perfectly punched up the plate.
Scallop Ceviche
Serves 4-6
From firefighter Keith Young, Brooklyn's Ladder 156.
There is nothing more refreshing than fresh seafood. Ceviche is actually "cooked" by the acid in the marinade. Better still, the dish takes only 45 minutes to complete, with just 15 minutes of active prep time. But if you don't have impeccably fresh scallops, don't even bother to try it.
1 1/2 pounds impeccably fresh sea or bay scallops, rinsed and roughly chopped
Juice of 2 or 3 limes (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
In a large mixing bowl, gently combine all the ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. You can serve this over a bed of lettuce or with nacho chips.
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