Chef’s Favorite : Diver Scallops

Ingredients

Technique

• In a heavy bottom pot combine potatoes, celery root and cover with cold water.
• Add salt and bring up to a simmer.
• Cook until the celery root and potatoes are knife tender, checking with a paring knife.
• Once they have cooked through, immediately strain off the liquid using a colander.
• Transfer to a food mill or ricer to process fine.
• Place back into the pot used for cooking and fold in the room temperature butter.
• Adjust the consistency with the scalded milk.
• Add the crème fraiche and season to taste with salt and white pepper
• Finally, give it a little dash of freshly grated nutmeg- but not too much!·  Hold warm until ready to use.

Ingredients

Technique

• If you are juicing your pomelo juice yourself, it is important to strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove any pith which can be bitter.
• Taste the juice and depending on the ripeness, a pinch of sugar may be needed to take the bitter edge off of it.
• Combine the pomelo juice with ginger flower in a heavy bottom pot.
• Place on the stove over medium high heat and reduce by half.
• Remove from heat, strain and place back on the stove in the same pot with the red wine vinegar.
• Continue to reduce until 50 ml of liquid is left.
• Remove pot from heat and let it stand for about 10-15 minutes- mainly to get the hot heat out of the pot, while still keeping the liquid warm.
• With a wire whisk, slowly add the butter in stages while whisking continuously to incorporate the butter into the juice reduction.
• Repeat this process until all of the butter has melted into the sauce.
• Taste along the way, because this is being served with scallops it is nice to have some acidity left in the balance between butter and juice reduction.  Not all of the butter may be required.
• Season to taste with salt and white pepper.·  Transfer to a room temperature ceramic canister to hold.

Asparagus

• Separate the tips from the base
• Blanch in boiling salted water for approximately 3 minutes.
• Remove from water and transfer to a saute pan with butter and shaved torch ginger flower.·  Saute for one minute seasoning to taste with salt and white pepper.