Pan-Seared Dayboat Scallops with...Pan-Seared Dayboat Scallops with Sunchoke Purée and Brown Butter Dashi Emulsion

An elegant, Michelin-caliber seafood course combining the earthy sweetness of sunchokes with perfectly caramelized dry-packed scallops, balanced by a rich, umami-forward brown butter dashi and bright bursts of finger lime.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the sunchoke purée, place the sliced sunchokes, heavy cream, and 50ml of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the sunchokes are completely fork-tender.

2. 02

   Transfer the tender sunchokes and cooking liquid to a high-speed blender. Add 20g of cold unsalted butter and blend on high until velvety smooth. Season with fine sea salt to taste. Pass through a fine-mesh chinois and keep warm.

3. 03

   For the emulsion, melt 40g of butter in a small skillet over medium heat, swirling constantly until the milk solids turn a deep golden brown and smell nutty. Immediately whisk in the dashi stock and white soy sauce to stop the cooking. Emulsify using a hand blender until frothy and light. Keep warm.

4. 04

   Prepare the scallops by removing the tough side muscle. Pat them completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with fleur de sel.

5. 05

   Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add the grapeseed oil. Place the scallops in the pan, ensuring they do not touch. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes until a deep, golden-brown crust forms.

6. 06

   Flip the scallops, add the remaining 20g of butter to the pan, and baste the scallops with the foaming butter for exactly 30 seconds. Immediately transfer the scallops to a paper towel-lined plate to rest for 1 minute.

7. 07

   To plate, spoon a generous pool of sunchoke purée in the center of two warmed shallow bowls. Place three scallops on top of the purée. Spoon the warm, frothy brown butter dashi emulsion around the plate. Garnish the scallops with finger lime vesicles, crushed hazelnuts, and micro-red shiso.