Pan-seared Diver Scallops and Jumbo Gulf Shrimp with Truffle-scented New Potato Hash and Caviar Butter
Fat scallops and shrimp are seared in clarified butter and served atop a bed of baby vegetables and new potato hash. Butter sauce, enhanced with caviar, is drizzled over the seafood. Note that each part of this dish could be used separately for another dish.
Ingredients
- New Potato Hash
- New Potatoes - 5 to 6 medium, cut in 1/4-inch dice
- Canola oil - for deep frying
- Smoked Bacon - 1/4 cup, chopped
- Andouille Sausage - 1/4 cup, chopped
- Chopped Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves
- Onion - 1/4 cup, finely diced
- Red Bell Pepper - 2 tablespoons, finely diced
- Green Bell Pepper - 2 tablespoons, finely diced
- Celery - 2 tablespoons, finely diced
- Scallion Bulbs - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Paprika - 1/2 teaspoon
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese - 1/4 cup, grated
- Fresh Thyme - 1 teaspoon, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Scallion Leaves - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- White Truffle Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Scallops and Shrimp
- Bay Scallops - 12
- Shrimp - 8 large shrimp per serving, peeled and deveined
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Clarified Butter - 1/4 cup
- Caviar Butter
- Dry white wine - 1-1/2 cups
- Champagne Vinegar - 1/2 cup
- Black peppercorns - 12
- Shallots - 6, chopped
- Fresh Thyme - 6 to 8 sprigs
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
- Salt to taste
- Chives - 1 teaspoon, chopped
- American caviar - 2 teaspoons
- Salmon Caviar - 2 teaspoons
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Mixed Baby Vegetables - 2 cups (snow peas, haricots verts, carrots, pearl onions), blanched
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Truffle - 1, shaved into thin slices
- Fresh Chervil - 4 sprigs
Instructions
To prepare the potato hash: Steam the potatoes until just softened, 8 to 10 minutes, then place in a low oven to dry. Heat the oil to 325 F in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan and fry the potatoes until golden brown; lift out with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Do not crowd the fryer; fry in batches if necessary. Put the bacon and sausage in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook until they begin to brown and the fat is rendered. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, pepper, celery, and scallion bottoms and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fried new potatoes, paprika, cayenne, cheese, and thyme. Toss for 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and toss with the scallion leaves and truffle oil. Set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the seafood: Season the scallops and shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat a medium saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the clarified butter. When the butter is smoking, add the scallops and sear for 15 seconds. Keep the scallops apart and do not crowd the pan; again, work in batches if necessary. Add the shrimp and sear for 1 minute. Turn the scallops and shrimp with tongs and sear on the other side for 30 seconds, or until the seafood is lightly browned and opaque throughout. Set aside off the heat; keep warm.
To prepare the butter: Put the wine, vinegar, peppercorns, shallots, and thyme in a medium saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream. Cook until reduced by one third and slightly thickened. Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time; control the temperature by taking the pan off the heat when necessary to keep the butter from melting into yellow streaks. When the sauce is smooth, whisk in the salt. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Stir in the chives and caviar. Keep warm.
Melt the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat and warm the vegetables in the butter, 2 to 3 minutes, until heated through.
To serve: Mound baby vegetables in the center of each plate. Top with hash. Space 3 scallops around the hash and place two shrimp on top. Spoon butter sauce over the shrimp and scallops. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Garnish with shaved truffles and fresh chervil sprigs.
