Mariscos en Escabeche

Set a rondeau with salted water to a boil. Rinse mussels in cold water, discarding broken shells and those that don’t close when firmly tapped. In a hotel pan, prepare a salted ice water bath. Toss mussels into boiling water. When they open, remove mussels and immediately shock in an ice bath. When chilled, drain mussels, de-beard, and shuck. Using a spoon, remove mussels from shells, cover, and refrigerate. Repeat procedure with clams. Repeat again with scallops, except boil them in a saucepan until the center of the shells begin to turn opaque; then transfer to ice bath. Shuck and remove tendon. Slice scallops in half, creating discs. Wrap and refrigerate.

In a rondeau, heat half the olive oil with smashed garlic. When garlic is golden brown, add onion and sauté. When onion is very soft, add tomato, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. When moisture has evaporated and onion and garlic are starting to turn golden brown again, add the water and remaining oil. Transfer mixture to a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer. When simmering, blend with an immersion blender until emulsified, but do not completely purée. Season with salt and 150 grams Sherry vinegar. When the vinegar begins to evaporate, remove pan from stove and pass vinaigrette through a chinois, pressing out all the juices; chill. Adjust seasoning with salt and Sherry vinegar. Scale 1.2 kilograms of Escabeche Vinaigrette. Reserve the rest for Confit Tomatoes. In a blender, blend scaled vinaigrette until vortex forms in center. Slowly add xanthan gum, blending until combined. Hold at room temperature for service.

Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 85ºC. Heat deep fryer to 350ºF. Prepare an ice water bath. Place tomatoes in fryer basket and repeatedly dunk in oil until skin starts to wrinkle or pop right off. Shock in an ice bath; peel tomatoes. Seal peeled tomatoes with 350 grams reserved, unthickened Escabeche Vinaigrette in a vacuum bag and cook sous vide 4 to 5 hours. Cool bag in ice water bath and refrigerate.

Soften seaweed in hot water. In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients, mixing until sugar and salt dissolve. Drain seaweed and add to vacuum bag. Pour in enough pickling liquid to cover one-third of the seaweed. Vacuum seal at 99 percent; refrigerate.

In a tin, add just enough thickened Escabeche Vinaigrette to coat the bottom. Arrange the Shellfish: 4 mussels, 2 each on opposing sides of the tin, and 5 clams running down the middle. Place 1 scallop-disc each on opposing corners. Generously coat the Shellfish with Escabeche Vinaigrette and drizzle with olive oil. Finish with sea salt and Sherry vinegar. Garnish with a pinch of Pickled Seaweed and Confit Tomato. Place completed tin on a slate with a small pile of sea salt and 4 toast points. Serve with the lid on the tin.