Pan Seared Scallops with Crab Salad and Carrot Puree
- Level: Easy
- Total: 1 hr 5 min
- Active: 1 hr 5 min
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
Carrot Puree:
8 ounces carrots, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bacon Infused Maple Syrup:
5 strips bacon
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional
Crab Salad:
1 pound crab claw meat
1/4 cup julienned apple
1/4 cup julienned carrot
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons diced red onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plating:
6 scallops (size U8), dry pack
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons butter
6 small leaves romaine heart
3 scallions, julienned
Directions
- For the puree: In a small saucepot, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add the chopped carrots, and boil until soft. Strain the carrots and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Place the carrots in a blender with the honey, and puree. Adjust the consistency with the reserved cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper, and cool completely.
- For the syrup: In a saute pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Then chop the bacon and add it to a small saucepot with the maple syrup, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the syrup to a volume of 1 cup.
- If the syrup is very runny, thicken with a slurry of the cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
- For the crab salad: In a bowl, combine crab, apples, carrots, mayonnaise, lemon juice and onion, and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper.
- For plating: Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a saute pan over high heat until smoking. Add the oil and then place the scallops in the pan. Sear until golden brown and the scallops release from the pan, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another minute. Add the butter to the pan and baste the scallops with the butter for about 1 more minute. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the scallops to rest.
- On each serving plate, drag a spoonful of carrot puree across the plate. Place 2 ounces of crab salad at the center of each plate. Trim the romaine leaves into a diamond and place on top of the crab salad. Place the seared scallop against the lettuce leaf and drizzle 1 ounce of the bacon syrup with some bacon pieces over the scallop. Garnish with the scallions and serve.
