Pan-Seared Diver Scallops with...Pan-Seared Diver Scallops with Sunchoke Silk, Yuzu-Brown Butter, and Trout Roe

An exquisite coastal masterpiece featuring caramelized U-10 scallops nestled on a velvety sunchoke purée, finished with a bright yuzu-infused brown butter emulsion and saline pops of trout roe.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the Sunchoke Silk: In a small saucepan, combine the chopped sunchokes, heavy cream, and enough water to just cover the sunchokes. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until completely tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

2. 02

   Transfer the warm sunchokes to a high-speed blender. Add 50g of cold cubed butter and a splash of the reserved cooking liquid. Blend on high speed for 3 minutes until absolutely smooth and glossy. Season with fine sea salt to taste, pass through a fine chinois (mesh strainer), and keep warm in a water bath.

3. 03

   For the Yuzu-Brown Butter Emulsion: In a small light-colored saucepan, melt 80g of butter over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling constantly, until the milk solids turn a deep hazelnut brown and smell nutty (beurre noisette). Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.

4. 04

   In a separate small saucepan, reduce the yuzu juice, white wine, and minced shallots until reduced to a glaze (about 1 tablespoon of liquid remaining). Lower the heat to low, then slowly whisk in the warm brown butter in a thin, steady stream to create a stable, glossy emulsion. Strain out the shallots, season with a pinch of salt, and keep warm (do not boil).

5. 05

   For the Scallops: Thoroughly pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Season the flat presentation sides generously with Fleur de Sel. Heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke.

6. 06

   Place the scallops in the skillet, leaving space between them. Sear undisturbed for exactly 2 minutes to develop a deep, golden-brown caramelized crust. Flip the scallops, add the remaining 20g of butter to the pan, and spoon the foaming butter over the scallops for 30 seconds. Remove immediately from the pan and drain on a paper towel.

7. 07

   To Plate: Spoon a generous pool of warm Sunchoke Silk onto the center of two warmed plates. Gently nestle three scallops on top of the purée. Spoon the warm Yuzu-Brown Butter Emulsion elegantly around the purée. Garnish each scallop with a small spoonful of trout roe and delicate sprigs of micro chervil. Serve immediately.