Monday, June 7, 2021

Scallop "Rossini"

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Smoked Scallop “Rossini” is a playful take on the traditional French Rossini dish, which typically involves filet mignon, topped with a decadent slice of sautéed foie gras, served with a rich sauce. For this version, I lightened it up a bit using scallops in place of filet mignon. This can be served as a small first course inside the natural scallop shell or take center stage as a plated entree.  

Smoke the sea scallop lightly, then sauté on one side beautifully golden brown, keeping the scallop rare. Separate a lobe of foie gras by breaking apart the two chambers. Use a paring knife to remove the main veins and pass the smaller section of foie gras through a tamis. Marinade the mousse in a flavorful broth consisting of yuzu, ginger juice, soy sauce, mirin and sake. After marinating for 30 minutes, heat the foie with once cup of heavy cream and whisk until fully incorporated. Strain the mixture through a chinois and blend with a reduction of Sauternes—a sweet wine traditionally paired with foie gras—to create a delicious foie gras sauce. Use a warm knife to cut the more prominent section of foie gras in medium dice and place in the marinating liquid to semi pickle. Bring the cubes to a light simmer to just cook to medium rare and reduce the liquid will be reduced and mount with foie gras fat to glaze the cubes.  

Prepare a dashi broth using twice the amount of bonito flakes to enhance the smoke element in the dish. Just prior to serving the dish, warm the the scallop in the dashi and reduce the liquid to a glaze consistency. Use a ring mold to neatly spread the foie gras sauce in the center of the plate. Place the scallops around the sauce with an equal amount of space in between. Using a blowtorch, caramelize the surface of the foie gras cubes to induce browning and add a bittersweet note to the foie. Place the foie gras in between each scallop to create a perfect circle around the plate.

The scallop’s natural sweetness provides a perfect balance for the smoking technique, and pickling foie gras not only cuts through its intrinsic richness, but also serves to beautifully accompany the smoked scallop. The rich broth brings about the seductive savory nature of the Rossini preparation.