Scallops with Cauliflower Puree and Chanterelles
Seared scallops rest on a silky cauliflower puree with buttery sauteed chanterelle mushrooms, a restaurant-style plate built from a few careful steps.
A smooth puree is really just about patience with the blender and enough cream to loosen it. Chanterelles need very little beyond butter and a hot pan to taste like something special. Timing is the real challenge here, so have the puree and mushrooms ready before the scallops ever touch heat.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneSimmer the cauliflower florets in the chicken broth and enough water to cover for 15 minutes until very tender.
Drain the cauliflower, reserving a little of the cooking liquid, and blend with half the cream, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and half the kosher salt until silky smooth, adding reserved liquid as needed.
Keep the puree warm over the lowest possible heat, stirring occasionally so it does not scorch or stick to the pan.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chanterelles for 5 minutes until browned at the edges.
Add the shallot, garlic, and thyme, and cook 2 more minutes, then stir in the remaining cream and remove from the heat.
Pat the scallops dry again with paper towels and season evenly with the remaining salt and the black pepper.
Heat the olive oil and remaining butter in a clean skillet over high heat until just smoking, then sear the scallops for 2 minutes per side until golden and just opaque in the center.
Spread the cauliflower puree on each plate, top with the scallops, and spoon the chanterelles and their sauce over the top.
Kitchen note
Clean chanterelles with a soft brush or a barely damp cloth instead of soaking them in water, since they absorb liquid quickly and will steam rather than brown in the pan.
