Pan-Seared King Oyster "Scallops"...Pan-Seared King Oyster "Scallops" with Sunchoke Silk & Morel Reduction

An exquisite plant-based entrée featuring caramelized king oyster mushroom medallions served over a velvety roasted sunchoke purée, finished with a rich morel reduction and vibrant herb-infused oil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the Herb Oil, blanch the chives and parsley in boiling water for 10 seconds, then immediately shock in ice water. Drain, squeeze out all excess moisture, and blend with the grapeseed oil on high speed for 3 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter or fine cheesecloth and set aside.

2. 02

   For the Sunchoke Silk, boil the chopped sunchokes in salted water until completely tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain and transfer to a high-speed blender. Add 2 tablespoons of vegan butter and a splash of warm vegetable stock. Blend until completely smooth and velvety. Season with salt to taste and keep warm.

3. 03

   Rehydrate the dried morels in 100ml of hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid, and finely chop the morels.

4. 04

   For the Morel Reduction, sauté the minced shallot in 1 tablespoon of vegan butter until translucent. Add the chopped morels and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, reducing it by half. Add the reserved morel soaking liquid (strained of sediment) and the remaining vegetable stock. Simmer until the sauce is glossy and coats the back of a spoon.

5. 05

   Score both flat sides of the king oyster mushroom 'scallops' in a crosshatch pattern. Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of oil. Sear the mushrooms until deeply golden brown on one side (about 3-4 minutes).

6. 06

   Flip the mushrooms, add the remaining tablespoon of vegan butter, the bruised garlic, and thyme sprigs to the pan. Continuously baste the mushrooms with the foaming butter for another 3 minutes until tender. Transfer to paper towels and season with Maldon sea salt.

7. 07

   To assemble, spoon a generous pool of hot Sunchoke Silk onto the center of each plate. Arrange three mushroom 'scallops' on top. Spoon the rich Morel Reduction around the plate, and dot with the vibrant green Herb Oil. Garnish with micro-herbs if desired and serve immediately.