Coquilles Saint-Jacques Rôties, Mousseline...Coquilles Saint-Jacques Rôties, Mousseline de Céleri Fumé et Jus de Cidre Réduit

Hand-dived Atlantic scallops seared to golden translucency, set atop a silk-smooth smoked celeriac mousseline, finished with crisp Granny Smith ribbons, shaved Périgord black truffle, and a glossy Normandy cider reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Place diced celeriac, milk, cream, a pinch of salt, and 1 sprig of thyme into a heavy saucepan. Simmer gently over medium-low heat until completely tender, approximately 18–20 minutes.

2. 02

   Strain the celeriac, reserving the cooking liquid. Transfer the cooked celeriac to a high-speed blender with 50g of chilled butter and the smoked sea salt. Blend until velvety and glossy, adding splashes of the cooking liquid as needed to achieve an ultra-smooth mousseline. Pass through a fine chinois and keep warm.

3. 03

   In a small copper saucepan, sweat the minced shallot with 10g of butter over gentle heat until translucent. Pour in the Normandy dry cider and add the remaining 2 sprigs of thyme. Bring to a simmer and reduce slowly until syrupy and glossy, yielding roughly 3 to 4 tablespoons.

4. 04

   Discard the thyme from the reduction. Vigorously whisk in 30g of chilled, cubed butter off the heat (monter au beurre) to create an emulsified, mirror-gloss jus. Season with a light squeeze of apple juice or pinch of fine sea salt and keep at roughly 55°C.

5. 05

   Thoroughly pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Season both flat faces lightly with Sarawak white pepper and fine salt.

6. 06

   Heat grapeseed oil in a stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Gently lay the scallops flat in the pan, leaving space between them. Sear undisturbed for 90 seconds until a deep, caramelized hazelnut crust forms.

7. 07

   Flip the scallops, immediately add the remaining 30g of butter to the skillet, and baste continuously (arrosage) for 45 to 60 seconds. The center should remain pearlescent and warm. Remove immediately onto a warmed wire rack to rest.

8. 08

   To plate, swipe a warm spoonful of smoked celeriac mousseline across the base of four shallow ceramic bowls. Arrange three seared scallops along the ridge. Crown each scallop with delicate julienne of Granny Smith apple and thinly shaved black truffle. Spoon the glossy cider reduction thoughtfully around the perimeter and finish each scallop with a crystal of fleur de sel.