Seared Scallops with Beurre Blanc, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Truffle Asparagus

Here’s a take on seared scallops that every shellfish lover should have in their arsenal. This timeless preparation of scallops yields a beautifully textured end product that is crispy, just cooked through, and melts in the mouth.

For those who are unexperienced, it’s perhaps best to just sear one side of the scallop to a golden brown. You can always check for doneness after it has rested for 5 minutes and if they are still translucent, simply finish them in the beurre blanc sauce until their texture is just springy to the poke.

The sauce is a classic French treatment and imparts a rich flavor to the fish. You are able to adjust the flavor profile here, according to your palate, with the herbs with which you finish the sauce. The sides pair perfectly for a complete meal. That said, make this dish often and change things up!

INGREDIENTS:
12 U15 Scallops (4 per person) 1 oz per scallop
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt & pepper to taste
4 medium yukon gold potatoes halved lengthwise
4-6 cups cold water
6-8 whole cloves garlic peeled & bases trimmed
½ cup of whole milk or as needed
4-6 tbsp butter
2 oz grated parmigiano-reggiano
1 bunch medium asparagus bases trimmed
½ tbsp olive or truffle butter/oil (either use truffle oil or salt)
¼ tsp kosher/truffle salt or to taste
2 small shallots finely minced
Juice from ½ lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
1 tbsp capers
½ tbsp fresh or dried herbs (tarragon, parsley, or thyme)

Begin by patting each scallop dry with paper towels. In a mixing bowl, combine the scallops, olive oil, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

For the garlic mash, halve the 4 medium sized yukon gold potatoes and place in to a medium sauce pan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes and place over high heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat. In a separate sauté pan, lightly brown/caramelize the garlic cloves on both sides over medium heat. About 2 minutes each. Add the garlic to the potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.

Once tender, drain the potatoes & garlic thoroughly and either pass them through a potato ricer or hand mash them. Add the milk, 3-4 tbsp butter, parmigiano-reggiano, salt, and pepper and whip until combined.

Add the trimmed asparagus to a medium sauté pan along with the olive/truffle oil, kosher/truffle salt, and pepper over medium heat. Sauté until brown and tender. Lightly season with more truffle salt/oil as needed.

Heat a large sauté pan on high heat for 5 minutes. Place the scallops into the pan starting at the 12 o’clock position and continuing consecutively, clockwise. Sear for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and turn the heat off. Let sit for 1 minute. Reserve the scallops to a heated plate. Add the shallots, capers, herbs, and a pinch of salt to the same pan along with olive oil if needed (sparingly). Scrape and deglaze once the shallots have released their water. Sweat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the lemon juice & zest and simmer until almost all of the liquid is reduced. Add the white wine and bring to a rapid boil. Simmer until reduced by half and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add the reserved scallops back to the sauce (seared side up) to heat through for (1-2 minutes). Turn off the heat, add the 1-2 tbsp of butter, and whisk until fully melted and emulsified. Reserve and keep warm.

To plate, spoon over a serving of garlic mash. Top with scallops and a side of asparagus. Finish with a drizzle of the beurre blanc.