Caramelized Bay Scallops with Clementines and Cauliflower
From Daniel’s Dish: Entertaining at Home with a Four Star Chef by Daniel Boulud (Filipacchi Publishing, 2003)
Daniel Boulud's Bay Scallops with Clementines and Cauliflower Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower (about 1 pound), trimmed, cut into 1-inch florets, stems peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 dozen bay scallops (about 2 pounds)
  • Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
  • 4 clementines, peeled and segmented
  • Julienned zest of 4 kumquats
  • 3 Tablespoons Sicilian capers, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes, rinsed and drained
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method:
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain well.

Put the cauliflower into a food processor and purée until smooth, taking care not to overwork the mixture. Season with salt and pepper and stir in 4 Tablespoons of the butter. Transfer the purée to the top of a double boiler, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the purée and set aside.

Warm the remaining 4 Tablespoons butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Pat the scallops dry, season with salt and pepper, and slip them into the pan. Cook, turning the scallops as necessary, until they are golden on all sides and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the lemon juice. Add the clementines, kumquats, zest, capers and parsley to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook, while stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute.

To Serve:
Divide the cauliflower purée among four warm soup plates. Arrange the bay scallops on top and spoon the clementines-kumquat mixture over. Serve immediately.

Wine Pairing:
Scallops tend to work well with richer Chardonnays and the tropical-fruit flavors in the Hanzell from Sonoma, California, which also combines nicely with the clementines and kumquats. The capers add a nice touch of acidity at the end that enlivens the wine.

 

 

  
Updated: October 2004