Scallops with Cauliflower Puree, Olive Tapenade and Apple Reduction

If you feel like making something fancy that looks like restaurant quality, then this is the recipe. The combo of succulent scallops, with the sweetness of the apple reduction is balanced off by the slight bitterness and tartness of the olives. The cauliflower's smoothness and light taste adds another dimension.

I saw this recipe in Country Style Magazine by a chef named Dietmar Sawyere. I halved the cauliflower puree recipe and I still had some leftover.

Large, fresh scallops are hard to find. I use large, snap-frozen Hokkaido scallops available at most seafood retailers.

Recipe

Cauliflower puree:
3 shallots, diced
20g butter
600g cauliflower, trimmed into florets
1 cup chicken stock or water
1 cup milk

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft. Add cauliflower and stir to combine. Add stock and milk. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is soft. Strain, reserve some liquid to put to food processor if necessary. Processed until smooth puree forms. Transfer to a bowl.

Apple reduction:
1 1/4 cup granny smith apple juice
2 tbsp lemon juice

Combine apple juice with lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid reaches a syrupy consistent.

18 large sea scallops, roe removed
black olive tapenade (pre- bought)
chevril sprigs to garnish
lemon juice

Preheat a pan. Brush scallops with some soft butter and place on hot pan. Cook for one minute, turn them and cook for another minute. Remove from pan and drizzle with some lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Place warm cauliflower puree on serving plates, top with scallops and garnish with chevril (I use lamb tongue florets as I could not find any chevril). Drizzle green apple reduction to one side and serve with some tapenade.