Pan-Seared Hokkaido Scallops with...Pan-Seared Hokkaido Scallops with Sunchoke Velouté and Kaffir-Yuzu Brown Butter

A masterclass in texture and balance: perfectly caramelized dry-packed scallops nestled on a silky, earthy sunchoke purée, finished with umami-rich shimeji mushrooms, trout roe, and a bright kaffir lime-infused brown butter.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the sunchoke velouté, combine sliced sunchokes, vegetable stock, and heavy cream in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the sunchokes are completely tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender, add 50g of cold butter, and blend until ultra-smooth. Season with fine sea salt, pass through a fine-mesh chinois, and keep warm.

2. 02

   Prepare the Kaffir-Yuzu Brown Butter. In a small saucepan, melt 100g of butter with the bruised kaffir lime leaves over medium heat. Swirl constantly until the milk solids turn a deep golden brown and release a nutty aroma. Immediately remove from heat, strain through a fine sieve to remove the leaves and solids, and whisk in the yuzu juice. Keep warm in a gentle water bath.

3. 03

   Sauté the shimeji mushrooms in a small skillet with a teaspoon of the brown butter over high heat for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.

4. 04

   Prepare the scallops. Ensure they are thoroughly dry by patting them down with paper towels. Season both sides generously with flaky sea salt. Heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking.

5. 05

   Place the scallops in the skillet, leaving space between them. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a deep, golden-brown crust. Flip the scallops and sear the other side for just 30-45 seconds. Immediately transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to rest for 1 minute.

6. 06

   To plate, spoon a generous pool of sunchoke velouté onto the center of four warmed shallow bowls. Place three scallops on top of the velouté. Artfully scatter the sautéed shimeji mushrooms and trout roe around the scallops. Drizzle the kaffir-yuzu brown butter over and around the dish. Garnish with micro-sorrel and serve immediately.