Scallops with Cauliflower Purée and Caper-Raisin Sauce, or Dinner Menu Part II

It's time for the second part of my dinner menu. This time, it's all about scallops.

I won't write much about scallops here. Seafood is something you either love or hate. Although, although... you can learn to like scallops even if you don't like, say, shellfish. To me, scallops are delicious, unique in flavor, delicate, buttery, and aromatic. In a word, I adore them!

This appetizer is fantastic and not particularly complicated, even though it looks like it is. The only thing to keep in mind is that you need to work fairly quickly, because both the purée and the scallops should be served hot.

The combination of all the elements of this appetizer is perfect! As I wrote last time, to get everything ready on time, I made the sauce a little ahead. I did reheat it right before serving, though. The cauliflower has to be worked with while it's warm, because cold it turns unappetizing, and scallops, like all seafood, are served immediately after cooking. Fresh scallops are best, but I used frozen ones. I thawed them very slowly and they turned out perfectly.

scallops with cauliflower purée and caper-raisin sauce

This is a recipe I've wanted to make for quite some time. I was inspired by a video I found on YouTube. As you can see, the recipe comes from Gordon Ramsay. While preparing this appetizer, I also relied on a more detailed recipe from Karolka. Thanks to her, I had a recipe for the sauce, which was missing from the video. I'm giving the recipe in roughly the proportions that I used.

Scallops with Cauliflower Purée and Caper-Raisin Sauce

Directions:

Prepare the scallops: wash them, gently pat them dry, and lay them out on a plate. Put the curry powder in one small bowl and a mixture of salt and pepper in another. Keep everything within reach.

Divide the cauliflower into florets. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the cauliflower, and fry for about 3 minutes. Pour in the milk (I added just enough to lightly cover the cauliflower) and simmer for about 3 minutes. Pour in the cream and cook until the cauliflower is soft. Blend right away into a purée and season to taste with salt and pepper. The purée should be thick enough that it holds its shape when piped through a piping bag.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. One by one, dip each scallop in the curry powder on one side and in the salt and pepper mixture on the other, and place them in the skillet in a clockwise direction. Fry for about 2 minutes, then flip them in the same order. Right about when the last scallop has been flipped, you can take them off the skillet. I prepared 1 extra so I could check whether they were done. My scallops were quite large and needed a bit more time. They should be springy, but not scorched and not dried out around the edges.

Preparing the sauce:

Cook the capers and raisins and blend them. Add a tablespoon of balsamic glaze and the olive oil, and mix well.

Pipe little mounds of purée onto a plate, place the scallops on top of them, and drizzle with a little sauce. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!