Pan-Seared Hokkaido Scallops with...Pan-Seared Hokkaido Scallops with Sunchoke Velouté and Black Garlic Emulsion

A Michelin-star level seafood dish pairing sweet, perfectly caramelized Hokkaido scallops with an earthy, silky sunchoke purée, balanced by a complex black garlic dashi emulsion and popping citrus notes of finger lime.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a small saucepan, combine the sliced sunchokes and heavy cream with just enough water to barely submerge them. Simmer over medium heat until the sunchokes are completely tender, about 15 minutes.

2. 02

   Transfer the sunchokes and cooking liquid to a high-speed blender. Add 50g of unsalted butter and blend on high until an ultra-smooth, velvety purée forms. Season with fine sea salt to taste and pass through a fine-mesh chinois. Keep warm.

3. 03

   To make the emulsion, blend the black garlic cloves with the warm dashi stock and yuzu juice in a clean blender until completely smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan over low heat and gently whisk in 30g of cold butter cube by cube to create a glossy emulsion. Season with a pinch of salt and keep warm (do not boil).

4. 04

   Pat the Hokkaido scallops completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with sea salt just before cooking.

5. 05

   Heat the grapeseed oil in a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until smoking. Add the scallops, leaving space between them. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a deep, golden-brown crust.

6. 06

   Flip the scallops and sear the second side for 1 minute. Remove the skillet from heat and let the residual warmth finish cooking the center to a perfect medium-rare.

7. 07

   To plate, spoon a generous pool of warm sunchoke velouté onto the center of each warm plate. Gently place three scallops on top. Dot the black garlic emulsion elegantly around the plate. Garnish the crown of each scallop with finger lime pearls and micro shiso or sea grapes.