Seared Sea Scallops With Crème Fraîche And Caviar Recipes

ROASTED SEA SCALLOPS WITH CHIVE POTATO PANCAKE AND CAVIAR-SABAYON SAUCE

Steps:

• To prepare the scallops:
• Place half of shredded potato on a 6x6 piece of parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle half of the chives and half of the flour on the potato. Place one scallop in center of the potato, then cover scallop with other half of potato, remaining chives, flour and re-season with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining four scallops.
• In a hot pan, add oil. Lift potato and scallop off parchment paper with spatula and cook in a pan until potato is golden, about five minutes. Flip over and continue to cook another five or ten minutes or until other side is golden. Place on warm serving dish.
• To prepare the caviar-sabayon sauce:
• In a double boiler, mix egg yolk, vinegar, champagne, and salt and pepper. Quickly whisk until volume increases and becomes foamy (about 1 minute). Take off heat. Fold in caviar without breaking eggs.
• Spoon sauce around scallops.

POACHED SCALLOPS WITH CAVIAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring the clam juice and heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the butter and whisk to incorporate. Set aside.
• Bring the court-bouillion to a simmer in a pan large enough to accommodate the scallops. Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the simmering court-bouillon and poach gently until they are cooked just to rare, about 1 1/2 minutes for large scallops, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for jumbo scallops.
• To serve, place a bed of rock salt on each plate and rest a scallop shell on it (if you do not have scallop shells, serve the scallops in shallow bowls). Place 3 large scallops or 1 jumbo in each shell.
• Meanwhile, gently reheat the sauce. Remove from the heat, add the caviar, and stir until the caviar is just heated through, about 45 seconds. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the sauce, add the chives, and season with pepper. Spoon the sauce over the scallops, making sure the caviar is evenly distributed. Serve immediately.

SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place a layer of paper towels on top of a large plate or baking sheet and gently lay the sea scallops on top to rid them of any excess moisture. With the scallops still on the paper towel, grab a large pinch of kosher salt and sprinkle it from a foot or more over the scallops. The height will help distribute the salt evenly.
• Use a pepper grinder to crack fresh black pepper in the same manner, getting every scallop.
• Flip the scallops and season the other side. This is important!
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed stainless-steel saute pan over high heat. Do not use nonstick-you'll never achieve the proper caramelization!
• Wait.
• Wait.
• Watch as the pan begins to smoke.
• Now, carefully, because the pan and oil are very hot, use tongs or your fingers to place each scallop individually in the pan, leaving room between them. Once the scallops are in the pan, do not move them or the pan or turn the heat down. You're going to want to, because the pan will be hot and splattering and smoking, but resist! You're getting your hard sear. Don't interfere or the scallops will stick.
• After 2 minutes, use a spatula or tongs to gently turn one of the scallops and assess how dark the sear is. If it's dark brown and caramelized, it's ready to be flipped and seared on the other side for at least 2 minutes more to achieve an identical sear.
• When the scallops have been flipped and seared on both sides, they're fully cooked and ready to eat. Remove them from the pan using tongs or a spatula. Add the butter to the pan and a squeeze of lemon juice and scrape up the bit on the pan to create a sauce. Serve the scallops hot and topped with the pan sauce and another squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH SAUCE MEUNIERE

Steps:

• Rinse scallops in cold water; pat dry with paper towels.
• In a large saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons butter on high heat until sizzling; add scallops.
• Immediately reduce heat to medium, and cook scallops 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly browned, turning once.
• Melt the rest of the butter in with the scallops then add the chopped green onions and the garlic, tossing to coat and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add the wine and cook for 1 minute more.
• Remove from heat and season with salt and cayenne; sprinkle with the snipped parsley.
• Serve hot with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon.

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS, WASABI CAVIAR AND SEAWEED SALAD

Steps:

• Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the hot pan and heat 30 seconds. Add the scallops and sear 1 side until well-browned, about 3 minutes. Do not shake the pan or move the scallops until ready to turn. Using tongs turn the scallops to brown the second side. Cook an additional 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and add the shallots to the still hot pan. Return to the heat and cook for 30 seconds before adding the sherry. When the sherry begins to boil swirl in the butter. Do not let the butter boil or separate.
• Toss the vegetables with the remaining olive oil. Make a small mound of vegetables in the center of a plate, place 3 small mounds of pickled seaweed around the perimeter and place a scallop on each mound of seaweed. Top the scallop with wasabi caviar, spoon some sherry butter over the top and serve.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS AND CAVIAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender but not brown, about 20 minutes. Add Champagne and boil until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Transfer leek mixture to strainer set over bowl. Press on leeks to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer leeks to small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return liquid to same skillet. Add cream and boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 4 minutes. Transfer sauce to bowl; cool 1 hour.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add scallops to skillet and sauté until just cooked through and golden brown, about 3 minutes per side for each batch. Transfer to plate.
• Spoon leeks in 5 small mounds around rim of each plate, spacing equally. Top each mound with 1 scallop. Stir caviar and tarragon into sauce. Spoon sauce into center of each plate.