Pan-Seared King Oyster 'Scallops'...Pan-Seared King Oyster 'Scallops' with Sunchoke Silk & Hazelnut Gremolata

An elegant Michelin-star caliber dish featuring caramelized king oyster mushroom medallions served over a velvety sunchoke purée, finished with a bright, textured toasted hazelnut and lemon gremolata.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the mushroom 'scallops' by slicing the thick stems of the king oyster mushrooms into 1-inch thick rounds. Gently score both flat sides of each round in a shallow crosshatch pattern. Set aside on paper towels to dry.

2. 02

   For the Sunchoke Silk: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped sunchokes and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the sunchokes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.

3. 03

   Drain the sunchokes, reserving about 50ml of the cooking liquid. Transfer the sunchokes and shallots to a high-speed blender. Add the oat milk, white miso paste, and 1 tablespoon of vegan butter. Blend on high until completely smooth, adding a splash of the reserved cooking liquid if needed to achieve a silky, pourable purée. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Keep warm.

4. 04

   For the Gremolata: In a small bowl, combine the toasted chopped hazelnuts, finely chopped parsley, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Season with a pinch of flaky sea salt and set aside.

5. 05

   For the Sear: Heat a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season the mushroom rounds with salt. Place them scored-side down in the hot skillet and sear undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until a deep, golden-brown crust forms.

6. 06

   Flip the mushrooms, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegan butter, smashed garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and continuously spoon the foaming melted butter over the mushrooms for another 3 minutes until they are tender and caramelized. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

7. 07

   To plate: Spoon a generous pool of the warm sunchoke silk onto the center of each warmed plate. Arrange three mushroom 'scallops' elegantly on top of the purée. Spoon the hazelnut gremolata over and around the mushrooms, and garnish with microgreens and a final sprinkle of flaky sea salt.