Seared Sea Scallops | pursuit-of-passion

Sea Scallops

Yield: About 2 servings

Components

U-10 Sea Scallops
Sweet Potato Puree
Roasted Butternut Squash
Pistachio Crumble
Broccoli Rabe
Sumo Citrus Beurre Blanc

Sweet Potato Puree

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cooking time: 45 – 60 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds sweet potato
1 Tbs canola oil
Kosher salt
6 oz heavy cream
4 oz unsalted butter, diced, cold

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tear a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fully envelop the sweet potato(es). Place the potato on the aluminum foil, rub the oil to thoroughly coat, and season the outside of the potato with 1 Tbs of kosher salt. Wrap the potato completely inside the foil and place on a foil- lined baking pan. Bake until fork tender, approximately 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the sweet potato.

Once fully cooked, remove the sweet potato from the oven and open the foil pouch, carefully, as it will be very hot. Heat the cream over medium heat in a small saucepot. When you are comfortable handling the potato, use a pairing knife to peel the skin. Place the peeled sweet potato in your blender, cover with the hot heavy cream, and add 2 Tbs of kosher salt. Place the blender top on the base and cover with the lid. In order to allow the steam to vent and prevent any splatter, remove the plastic cover from the top of the lid. Use a clean dish towel to protect your hand during the blending process. With one hand and towel over the top of the blender, begin by pulsing the mixture to combine. Continue blending on high speed, using the plunger apparatus distributed with your blender to push the potato mixture and encourage a thorough transformation. When the puree is spinning, free of agitation, add the cold butter one cube at a time, ensuring complete homogenization with each addition to create a stable emulsion and prevent a split or broken puree. Taste the puree for seasoning, set aside.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10- 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, stem cut in batonnet; bulb cut in equal size “boats”
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbs Kosher salt
3 oz fresh sage, picked

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and arrange the squash evenly with space in between to prevent steaming. Drizzle the squash with the Extra Virgin Olive oil, ensuring thorough dispersion. Season with salt, top with the sage, and place in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, checking the doneness after 10 to be safe.

Pistachio Crumble

Prep Time: 10 seconds

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup pistachios, shelled
2 Tbs Kosher salt

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pistachios on a baking tray lined with foil, season with salt, and bake for 5 minutes until toasted and fragrant. Allow the pistachios to cool and pulse in a food processor or use a mortar and pestle to grind the pistachios into a crumb consistency.

Broccoli Rabe

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
Kosher Salt
1 bunch broccoli rabe, rinsed and stems trimmed

Method

Heat a large pot of water over high heat to bring to a boil. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the garlic once the oil is fluid in its motion. Stir the garlic to distribute evenly in the pan and season with 2 Tbs of salt. While the garlic is sweating, and the water in the pot has reached a boil, add ¼ cup of salt for every 1 quart of water. Blanch the broccoli rabe in the boiling salted water for about 15 seconds, stirring it around with tongs to provide even exposure to the heat for each stalk. Once the color is bright and vividly green, remove the broccoli rabe with the tongs onto a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess water.

When the garlic is golden brown and fragrant, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the broccoli rabe to the pan. Be sure to tilt the pan slightly away from you to allow the oil to pool on one side, and place the broccoli rabe on the opposite side of the pan to prevent oil splatter. Return the pan to the heat and gently toss the broccoli rabe in the garlic and oil briefly to allow it to absorb the aromatic flavors. Remove the broccoli rabe, garlic, and oil from the pan and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Sumo Citrus Beurre Blanc

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

2 Tbs canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
2 each Sumo citrus
- 1 zest removed with a peeler, halved and juiced
- 1 segmented, juice reserved
4 oz fresh sage, torn in half, stems and all
¼ cup white wine (Albariño for this recipe, though a Chardonnay would be delightful as well)
¼ cup Sumo citrus juice (from aforementioned ingredients above)
1 cup heavy cream
6 oz unsalted butter, diced into cubes and kept cold

Method

Place a saucepot over medium high heat, add the canola oil and heat until it is fluid in motion, but not smoking. Add the onion, season with 1 Tbs of kosher salt and stir to begin sweating the onions. Once translucent, add the Sumo citrus zest, sage, and deglaze the pan with the wine. Increase the heat to high, season with 1 Tbs of salt, and reduce the liquid until the pan is almost dry. Add in the Sumo citrus juice, season with 1 Tbs of salt, and continue reducing the liquid while stirring. Once larger bubbles are present, this indicates the sugar concentration and viscosity of the liquid is evaporated enough to advance to the next stage of the sauce process.

Add in the cream, season with 1 Tbs of salt, reduce over high heat until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, without dripping off. Taste the reduction and adjust for seasoning(salt or acid). Begin the emulsification process by adding 1 Tbs of the butter and use a whisk to thoroughly stir the butter into the sauce. Once the butter emulsifies, continue adding butter and whisking constantly. If the sauce begins overheating or coming to a boil, take the pan off of the heat and continue whisking more butter into the sauce. The cold butter will help regulate the sauce temperature and assist in the creation of a stable emulsification. Once the butter is all emulsified in the sauce, taste for seasoning and remove the sage to prevent it from overpowering the Sumo citrus. Keep the sauce in a warm area until ready to plate.

Seared Sea Scallops

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cooking Time: 6-8 minutes

Ingredients

¼ cup canola oil
6 each U- 10 Sea Scallops, adductor muscle removed (Usually about 3 per person is a safe bet)
3 Tbs Kosher salt
3 Tbs unsalted butter, diced
2 sprigs sage, torn in half, stems included

Method

Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until just before smoke point. Season the scallops evenly on both sides and dry on paper towels. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the scallops—presentation side down—in the pan, being sure to do so in a gentle fashion, motioning away from your hand. Place the scallops evenly distanced from one another to prevent steaming, which would deter the creation of a crispy crust. Move the oil around the pan to ensure it contacts all of the scallops. Use a spoon or fish spatula to gently apply pressure to the scallops while searing in order to encourage even caramelization.

Once the scallops begin to develop a deep golden brown color—visible from observing the outside edges— add the butter and sage to the pan. The butter will not only take on the flavor of the sage to deliver to the scallops, but also prevent the crust from going beyond caramelized and into the realm of burnt bitterness. Tilt the pan carefully towards you to allow the melting butter to pool on the opposite side of the pan than the scallops, and use a spoon to baste the butter over the bottom side of the scallops. Do this until the scallops can be gently lifted from the pan and move freely. When they are able to be removed from the pan, turn off the heat, flip the scallop—one at a time—allow the bottom side of the scallop to quickly kiss the pan, give one last baste to the seared side, and remove the scallop to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the process with the remaining scallops.

Plate the dish using your own creative and artistic freedom!