Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with...Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with Sunchoke Velouté and Brown Butter Dashi

An exquisite harmony of caramelized U10 sea scallops resting on a velvety sunchoke puree, finished with a complex brown butter dashi emulsion and toasted hazelnut gremolata.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To prepare the Sunchoke Velouté: Melt 20g of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced shallot and 1 smashed garlic clove. Sweat until translucent, about 3 minutes, without letting them color.

2. 02

   Add the sliced sunchokes to the saucepan. Cover with heavy cream and enough water to just submerge the sunchokes. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes until the sunchokes are completely tender.

3. 03

   Transfer the sunchoke mixture to a high-powered blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth. Season with salt and pass through a fine-mesh chinois to achieve an ultra-velvety texture. Keep warm.

4. 04

   To make the Brown Butter Dashi: In a small saucepan, melt 40g of butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling constantly, until the milk solids turn a deep hazelnut brown and smell nutty (beurre noisette). Immediately whisk in the dashi stock, mirin, and white soy sauce to stop the cooking process. Emulsify using an immersion blender until light and frothy. Keep warm.

5. 05

   To make the Hazelnut Gremolata: In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped toasted hazelnuts, minced parsley, lemon zest, and a pinch of fleur de sel. Set aside.

6. 06

   For the Scallops: Pat the scallops extremely dry with paper towels. Season both sides with fleur de sel and white pepper. Heat grapeseed oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until just smoking.

7. 07

   Carefully place the scallops in the hot pan. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a deep, golden-brown crust. Flip the scallops, immediately add the remaining 20g of butter and 1 smashed garlic clove to the pan. Baste the scallops with the foaming butter for 45-60 seconds. Transfer immediately to a warm plate lined with paper towels to rest.

8. 08

   To assemble: Spoon a generous pool of sunchoke velouté into the center of two shallow bowls. Arrange four scallops elegantly on top of the puree. Froth the brown butter dashi once more with the hand blender, then spoon the warm emulsion around the velouté. Garnish the scallops with the hazelnut gremolata and delicate micro-shiso leaves.