Scallops with nuoc cham tomatoes & cold vermicelli

A Vietnamese-inspired dish that comes together quickly so it's good for days when it's too hot to cook.

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I don’t eat a lot of seafood at home, not because I don’t like it, but because I don’t always love the leftovers. I sometimes cook small pieces of fish for myself, but I rarely follow a recipe from a book because I worry I will waste the leftovers.

But recently, I saw some scallops that looked too good to pass up, so I decided to get over myself. I thought they’d play nicely a tomato-cucumber salad and I’d been craving cold noodles, so vermicelli were the perfect vehicle. A bright and punchy Vietnamese nuoc cham-ish sauce would tie everything together.

This dish comes together quickly and it’s nice for when it’s too hot to cook, which feels like nearly every day. If you can’t find vermicelli, I think rice would work here, but you won’t get that satisfying slurp.

Scallops with Nuoc Cham Tomatoes & Cold Vermicelli