Sea Scallops With Sunchokes And Truffles Recipes

Steps:

• Melt the unsalted butter in a medium (10-inch) saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the potatoes, celery root, heavy cream, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to very low, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Be careful?don't let the vegetables scorch on the bottom of the pan!
• In two batches, pour the leek and potato mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Return the puree to the saute pan, stir in the truffle butter, taste for seasonings, and keep warm over very low heat. If the puree gets too thick, add a little more heavy cream.
• If it hasn't already been removed, peel off the tough strip of muscle on the side of each scallop. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the grapeseed oil and, when the oil is almost smoking hot, add the scallops in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, until golden brown on the bottoms. Don't crowd the scallops or they'll steam rather than sear. Using a small metal spatula, turn the scallops and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until just cooked through.
• Spoon the warm puree onto 3 dinner plates. Place the scallops on the puree, drizzle with the basil oil, and sprinkle with the chives. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Place bacon and milk in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, remove from heat and allow to steep 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix 1 cup water with lemon juice. Peel and dice sunchokes and place in bowl. Trim artichoke down to fleshy heart, removing all leaves and choke, and place in bowl. Discard artichoke leaves and choke.
• Remove bacon from saucepan and discard or reserve for another use. Add sunchokes and artichoke heart to milk and simmer gently until tender, about 25 minutes. Remove artichoke heart and reserve. Purée sunchokes with any milk remaining in pan. Season with salt and white pepper. Rinse saucepan and place purée in it. Sliver artichoke heart.
• Mash egg yolk and mix with shallot, chives and parsley. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons oil, beating with a whisk. Add vinegar, season with salt and pepper, beat well and set aside.
• Place scallops in a saucepan that will hold them with little room to spare, in a single layer. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and the garlic. Heat to 110 degrees (use an instant thermometer) and cook for 3 minutes, turning scallops once. Remove scallops and oil from heat, cover and set aside. Heat remaining oil in pan and quickly sauté artichoke heart slices. Briefly reheat sunchoke purée.
• To serve, spoon warm sunchoke purée on each of 4 plates. Scatter artichoke slices around it. Divide scallops on top of purée. Spoon egg and herb sauce (gribiche) on scallops, top each with a truffle slice if using, and put a watercress sprig alongside. Serve.

Steps:

• Make the mashed potatoes. Cut the potatoes into two-inch cubes and boil them in salted water or steam them until they are tender.
• Scald the milk. Drain the potatoes if boiled and mash them with a potato masher in their cooking pot. Add the milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• If using sea scallops, cut them in half. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat the oil to very hot and briskly seal the scallops so that they brown.
• Divide the mashed potatoes among four plates. Divide the scallops into four portions and place them on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle them with truffle oil and serve.