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

Perfectly caramelized Hokkaido sea scallops set over a velvety sunchoke purée, finished with a rich, umami-laden brown butter dashi emulsion and fresh sea herbs.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the sunchoke purée, combine the sliced sunchokes, heavy cream, and a pinch of sea salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the sunchokes are completely tender. Transfer to a high-speed blender, add 50g of cold unsalted butter, and blend until ultra-smooth. Pass through a fine chinois sieve and keep warm.

2. 02

   For the brown butter dashi, melt 80g of unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Whisk continuously as it foams and crackles. Once the milk solids turn a deep amber-brown and release a nutty aroma, immediately remove from heat. Slowly whisk in the dashi stock, white soy sauce, and yuzu juice to emulsify. Keep warm.

3. 03

   Remove the tough side muscle from the scallops. Thoroughly pat them dry using paper towels. Season both flat sides of the scallops generously with fine sea salt just before cooking.

4. 04

   Heat a heavy cast-iron or stainless steel skillet over high heat until smoking. Pour in the grapeseed oil, then carefully place the scallops in the pan, ensuring they do not touch. Sear undisturbed for exactly 2 minutes to develop a deep, golden-brown crust.

5. 05

   Flip the scallops, then immediately add the remaining 20g of butter to the pan. Spoon the foaming melted butter over the tops of the scallops for 30 seconds to baste. Immediately transfer the scallops to a warm plate lined with paper towels to drain.

6. 06

   To plate, spoon a generous pool of warm sunchoke purée into the center of four shallow bowls. Arrange three seared scallops on top of the purée. Use a hand blender to froth the brown butter dashi, then spoon the airy emulsion around the plate. Garnish with finger lime pearls, micro-red shiso, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.