Scallops with beet purée

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        I love this dish because it's about as vibrant as it gets, both visually and in flavor. It looks like something you might sooner expect to find at an expensive, high-end restaurant than at home, but I'll show you that it's not that hard to make. I've put together a little video to show you just how easy it is.

       If you look back at my previous posts, you'll find the recipe for how to make your own candied lemon as well as some more recipes that use them.

Prep time 20 minutes, cooking time 30 minutes, serves 4

Ingredients

720g  fresh scallops
2 large green zucchini
8 Brussels sprouts
2 large red beets
2 tbs olive oil
4 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs butter
20g lumpfish caviar or tobiko
candied lemon







Preheat the oven to 350F
1. Peel & chop the beets, put them in a large pot and add water until the beets are fully covered. Season the water with 4 tbs red wine vinegar and 1 tbs salt. Bring to a boil and the let simmer until the beets are very tender, about 30 minutes. Strain the beets, reserving the cooking liquid. Purée the beets in a blender with 100ml of the cooking liquid and 2 tbs olive oil. Set aside and keep warm.

2. While the beets are simmering, blanch the green veg. Cut the bottoms off the Brussels sprouts and separate the leaves. Use a melon baller to cut little balls of zucchini. Bring a large amount of salted water to a boil and have a bowl of ice water ready to cool the vegetable. Blanch the Brussels sprouts for 45 seconds and then transfer them to the ice water using a slotted spoon or a small strainer. Next blanch the zucchini for 2 minutes, then transfer to the ice bath.

3. To cook the scallops, heat a small amount of oil in a large frying pan. Add the scallops one at a time, spaced evenly apart, the add 1 tbs of butter. To avoid overcrowding the pan, sear the scallops in batches. Slide the scallops around at first to make sure that they are coated in oil and then leave them to sear, without ever turning them. Sear the scallops on one side until the are nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the scallops to a baking tray and finish in the oven at 350F for 5 minutes.

4. Quickly saute the Brussels sprouts and zucchini in the pan that you used to sear the scallops. Place a large spoonful of beet puree on each of 4 plates. Divide the green vegetables among the plates, lay down the scallops and then garnish with candied lemon and caviar.