La Coquille - Saint Jacques (Scallop)

I made this small yet sexy dish for a food competition interview. I had to make a dish in 30 minutes and this is what I came up with. I loved it so much I had to put it on the menu!

Ingredients

FENNEL SOUBISE

  • ½ Fennel Bulb
  • ½ White Onion
  • ½ cup Butter
  • ½ cup Milk
  • TT Salt/White Pepper

BONITO BEURRE BLANC

  • 1 cup Butter
  • 1 Shallot - minced
  • 3 cl Garlic - minced
  • 3 sprigs Thyme, Tarragon, Oregano
  • 1 cup White Wine - Pinot Grigio
  • ½ cup Bonito Flakes
  • Lemon Juice - if needed
  • TT Salt

KOMBU FOAM

  • 6-8 Kombu sheets
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 T Soy Lecithin

KOMBU CRISP

  • 3 Kombu sheets - small triangle strips
  • Frying Oil - Canola

SCALLOPS

  • 4 large Scallops
  • Butter 
  • Herbs - Thyme, Oregano, Tarragon

InStructions

FENNEL SOUBISE

  1. Thinly slice fennel bulb and dice White Onion
  2. Sweat the fennel and onion in a medium sauté pan with butter 
  3. Add Cream and let ingredients simmer for 12-15 minutes or until tender 
  4. Remove from heat and blend in a blender until fully incorporated. Season to taste

BONITO BEURRE BLANC

  1. Saute shallots, garlic, and herbs in a small sauce pot with 2 T of butter.
  2. Add white wine and Bonito Flakes then reduce to ¼ of the original amount
  3. Whisk butter little by little to reduction until incorporated
  4. Season with Lemon Juice and salt to desire.

KOMBU FOAM

  1. Boil water in a sauce pot. Kill heat and add kombu sheets. Cover pot with plastic wrap or metal hat and let sit for at least 30 minutes to 24 hours 
  2. When ready to plate, blend Soy Lecithin in water with immersion  blender until foam starts to form

KOMBU CRISP

  1. Heat Oil to 385 degrees 
  2. With 2 tweezers, hold both ends of one kombu strip into hot oil and form a twisted S shape then set aside on a small tray with paper to absorb oil

SCALLOPS

  1. In a medium sauté pan melt 2 T butter, then add scallops to pan. 
  2. Sear scallops on both sides for 2-3 minutes 
  3. When turned on second side, Baste with butter and herbs until scallops feel firm but still spring back 
  4. Remove heat and set on a small tray

ASSEMBLY

  1. Scoop a small spoon full of Fennel Soubise on Scallop Sea Shell (Plate) 
  2. Place one Large cooked Scallop on top Soubise
  3. Scoop a small spoon full of Bonito beurre blanc on top Scallop
  4. Then scoop Kombu foam around scallop
  5. Garnish plate with Kombu crisp and fennel fronds