Scallops and Chanterelles with Endive
Jumbo sea scallops are seared and served on mushroom caps. The mushroom stems become a ragout in the centers of the plates; mushroom juice and truffle juice are enriched with butter to sauce the dish. Frothed milk, cocoa powder, and bright yellow-green celery leaves are the unusual garnishes.
Ingredients
- Sea Scallops
- Jumbo Sea Scallops - 20 each
- Clarified Butter - 1/2 cup
- Mushrooms
- Chanterelle Mushrooms - 1 lb (at least 20 mushrooms)
- Chicken Stock - 1 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 5 oz (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Ttruffle Juice - 1 tablespoon
- Endive
- Unsalted Butter - 1/4 cup (1/2 stick)
- Endive - 1, cleaned and cut into julienne
- Salt, freshly ground white pepper
- Sugar - To taste
- Feuille de Brique - 1 sheet (alt. phyllo dough)
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Whole Milk - 1/2 cup
- Cocoa powder - For dusting
- Celery - Leaves from 1 stalk, chopped
Instructions
To prepare the scallops:
If using fresh scallops, open the shells and scoop out the scallop. Clean off all material from the large muscle. If you buy scallops already shelled, this has been done for you. Soak the scallops in water for 30 minutes; remove and pat dry with paper towels. Line a plate with a paper towel and place the scallops individually on the paper towel; use two plates if necessary. Cover the scallops with a second paper towel and place another plate on top to press down gently. Place in the refrigerator to drain.
To prepare the chanterelles:
Stem the chanterelles and set the caps aside. Place the stems in a dry non-stick saute pan or skillet and place over medium-low heat to bring out the juice. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. Continue cooking until reduced by three-fourths; press down on the stems to extract all the juice. Remove the pan from the heat. Take out the mushroom stems with a slotted spoon and set aside. Set the pan with the mushroom juice aside. In another pan, repeat with the mushroom caps, using the remaining chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the mushroom caps from the pan and set aside.
Combine the liquid from both pans. Put the pan with the mushroom juice back over the heat and bring to a low boil. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and return to the pan. Add the remaining butter and whisk to blend. Whisk in the truffle juice. Keep warm.
To prepare the endive:
Melt the butter in a saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it begins to brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the endive. Toss with the butter and cook until the endive begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a little sugar. Set aside off the heat; keep warm.
To prepare the feuille de brique:
Cut stars approximately 1 inch in diameter from the dough. Melt the butter in a medium saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and put the stars in the butter. Saute until crisp and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
To cook the scallops:
Take the scallops out of the refrigerator and uncover them. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Heat one fourth of the clarified butter over medium-high heat and place 5 scallops into the pan individually, taking care that they are well separated in the pan (if they are too close together, they will stew rather than sear). Sear on each end until golden brown with opaque centers. Remove; add more butter as necessary, and continue until all scallops have been seared.
Heat the milk in a medium saucepan and beat with a stick mixer or whisk into a froth. Or, froth the milk with a cappuccino machine.
To serve:
Warm the mushroom sauce. In a shallow soup plate or similar plate with a depressed center, put one fourth of the mushroom stems in the center. Place 5 mushroom caps in a circle, open side up. Place a scallop on each cap. Repeat with remaining plates. Distribute endive julienne over the scallops and top with the stars. Spoon mushroom sauce around the scallops. Whip or froth the milk again if necessary; spoon froth between each pair of scallops. Dust the froth and plate with cocoa powder and sprinkle the plates with chopped celery leaves.
