Pan-Seared Diver Scallops with...Pan-Seared Diver Scallops with Sunchoke Purée and Hazelnut Noisette

Perfectly caramelized U10 diver scallops set over a velvety sunchoke purée, drizzled with a rich hazelnut brown butter emulsion, and punctuated by pickled shimeji mushrooms.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a small saucepan, combine the peeled sunchokes, heavy cream, and enough water to just cover. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until tender. Strain, reserving the liquid, and blend the sunchokes in a high-speed blender, adding back splash by splash of the cooking liquid until a silky, velvety purée forms. Season with salt and keep warm.

2. 02

   In another small pan, bring the rice vinegar, mirin, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Pour the hot liquid over the trimmed shimeji mushrooms in a heatproof bowl. Let them steep and cool to quick-pickle.

3. 03

   To make the hazelnut noisette, melt 100g of unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl constantly until the milk solids turn a deep amber color and smell intensely nutty. Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Stir in the crushed toasted hazelnuts and set aside in a warm place.

4. 04

   Thoroughly pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Season both flat sides generously with Maldon sea salt.

5. 05

   Heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Place the scallops in the pan in a clockwise pattern. Sear undisturbed for exactly 2 minutes to form a deep, golden-brown crust.

6. 06

   Flip the scallops, then immediately add the remaining 50g of butter to the pan. Tilt the skillet slightly and rapidly baste the scallops with the foaming butter for 1 minute. Transfer the scallops to a warm plate lined with a paper towel to rest for 1 minute.

7. 07

   To plate, spoon a generous pool of warm sunchoke purée onto the center of each warmed plate. Place three scallops on top of the purée. Spoon the hazelnut noisette emulsified butter around the plate, then scatter the pickled shimeji mushrooms and garnish elegantly with the microgreens.