Seared Scallops With Cauliflower Puree and Pine Nuts

Does this title get any better?

Seared scallops.

Cauliflower puree.

Pine nuts.

YUM.

Tony and I made this for Valentine’s Day dinner, and I must say, it was amazing. We have always wanted to try cauliflower mashed potatoes, but have been skeptical of what it would taste like. This recipe is great because it has cauliflower and potatoes.

The verdict?

Best. Puree. Ever.

It had so much flavor! Boiling the potatoes and cauliflower in the vegetable broth is such a great idea. We also added a little bit of heavy cream to the blender, with the butter and seasonings, so it would blend easier (this was not in the recipe). Another edit to the recipe we made was omitting the raisins and capers, due to personal preferences. It turned out beautifully.

artdefete.com

artdefete.com

INGREDIENTS

For the scallops

• 12 sea scallops (select same size scallops to the best of their availability and the color has to be beige pink rather than white)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the puree

• 2 cup cauliflower florets
• 2 cups Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or pinch of red pepper flakes
• Sea salt

Garnishing

• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/8 cup golden raisins, soaked
• 3 tablespoons capers, fried
• 3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Sear the scallops: Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium high-heat; add a splash of olive oil to prevent the butter from burning. Season scallops with salt and pepper add them to the pan, without overcrowding. Kitchen Tip: Cook scallops in two batches; if they touch they will steam rather than caramelize. Cook, without moving the scallops, until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, 2 minutes on each side. Turn the scallops and cook on the second side for another 1-2 minutes.
2. Make the puree: Pour stock into a medium-size pod, add cauliflower, potatoes, and make sure that the liquid covers the vegetables. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover with the lid and simmer until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Transfer cauliflower and potatoes into a blender. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, butter, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Keep warm.
3. Toast the nuts: In a small non-stick frying pan toast the nuts for 4 minutes on a medium-low heat, shaking the pan often, until nuts are golden brown but not burned. Set aside on a paper towel, do not leave them in a flying pan, otherwise they’ll continue cooking.
4. Fry the capers: In a small non-stick frying pan heat some olive oil, add capers and fry for 5 minutes.
5. To serve, scoop a spoonful of the puree in each plate, top it with 2-3 scallops, drizzle lightly with olive oil. Scatter some pine nuts, raisins and capers, sprinkle with chopped parsley.

 Jenn