French Fusion Scallops

Serving: 4

For the Lemongrass Ginger Broth:
1/4 cup of Ginger, sliced
1/4 cup of Lemongrass, lightly beated and chopped
2 Shallots, sliced
3 cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 tsp of Dried California Chili, tear and placed whole
1 tsp of Coriander, cracked
1 Star Anise
1/4 pound of dried and re-hydrated with a little water Salt Cod(optional)
3 cups of Chicken Stock
1 cup of Coconut Milk
1 oz of Lime Juice (use Kafir limes if available)
1 Kafir Lime Leaf
1/8 tsp of Vietnamese Fish Sauce
4 tbsp of Vegetable Oil

For the Parsley Cilantro Foam:
Ingredients:
3 bunches of Parsley
1/2 bunch of Cilantro
1/2 bag of Spinach
2 cups of Hot water
1/2 tsp of Soy Lecithin

For the Stir Fried Vegetable:
Ingredients:
6 Baby bok choy (quarted lengthwise)
12 Cheddar cauliflower florets
12 Purple cauliflower florets
12 Broccoli romanesco florets
12 Kabocha Squash, 1/2 inch melon ball
3 tbsp of Shallots, fine dice
3 Unpeeled garlic clove
4 tbsp of Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup of Chicken stock
1 tsp of Unsalted butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Scallops:
Ingredients:
12 Scallops (approx. 1.5oz each)
3 tbsp of Vegetable Oil or Clarified Butter
Salt and Pepper To Taste (use Fleur de Sel if available)

For the Esplette Spiced Garlic Chips:
Ingredients:
4 Garlic cloves, peeled
1 pinch of Esplette pepper powder
1 pinch of Salt
2 cups of Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions for the lemongrass ginger broth:
1. In a wide bottomed pot lightly stir-fry the lemongrass, ginger, shallots, and torn up chili. Add in the spices and the garlic after you have gotten a good fry on the aromatics. It€'s important to add in the garlic at this point so as to not burn it. After you have gotten a good fry on the ingredients add in the Salt Cod.

2. At this point add in the water. Now add in a little bit of hot chicken stock and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. To finish the broth add in Coconut Milk and squeeze in some lime juice. Taste and add salt to taste. Now strain this into a pot and you have your sauce. Set aside until ready to use.

Directions for cilantro foam:
1. Cook and blanch parsley in salted water for 5 minutes. Add the spinach for 1 minute. Cool in ice water to keep the deep green of parsley and spinach. Drain well and press water out of parsley and spinach with your hands. Puree in blender until a smooth paste. Reserve puree in a cool place.

2. In a blender combine 1/2 cup puree, 2 cups of hot water, and raw cilantro. Puree for 1 minute. Strain liquid through a fine sieve into a tall container. Add soy lecithin (or optional 3 T whole butter). Use a hand blender to create a foam by blending air into the parsley cilantro broth.

Directions for the stir fried vegetable:
1. Separately blanch each colored cauliflower and broccoli romanesco for 45 seconds in salted boiling water. Cool in ice water and reserve. Poach kabocha squash balls in salted water over low heat for about 10 minutes, until tender when pierced by a fork. Remove and reserve. In a large saute pan, heat 4 T of vegetable oil until just smoking. Add garlic clove and bok choy.

2. Season lightly with salt and cook over high heat, stirring frequently until bok choy is lightly caramelized (about 45 seconds). Add cauliflowers, broccoli romanesco, and kabocha squash. Sauté for for an additional 30 seconds. Add shallot dice and butter to pan. Saute an additional 30 seconds until shallot is translucent. Add chicken stock to pan. Continue to cook over high heat until chicken stock reduces to form a glaze on the vegetables. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Directions for scallops:
Note To clean scallops, remove the muscle located on one side of the scallop.
1. The muscle is usually slightly darker then the color of the flesh and is easily removed in one piece by hand without gouging the flesh of the scallop. This muscle develops a tough texture when cooked and can be unpleasant to eat. Season the scallops with salt. To sear scallops, heat a heavy bottomed skillet over high heat for 1-2 minutes. Once the pan is hot add vegetable oil.

2. Allow the oil to heat until smoke wisps at the edges of the pan. Add the scallops to the pan leaving at least 1 inch of space between the scallops.
(If the pan is not large enough to fit all scallops easily, sear in multiple batches.) After 2 minutes turn the scallops once. Again, do not shake the pan. After a minute, roll the sides of the scallops in the pan for an additional 30 seconds. Remove scallops from pan. Season the scallops with pepper allow to rest for 1 minute before serving to ensure that the scallops are warmed through to the center.

Directions for the esplette spiced garlic chips:
1. Finely slice garlic on a mandolin. Garlic slices should be translucent. Place garlic slices in a pot with cold water. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Strain off garlic from water and remove to paper towels to dry. In a small pot, bring vegetable oil to 275°F. Hold temperature of oil over low heat.

2. Add blanched garlic slices to pot. Fry until crisp and lightly golden. Removed garlic from oil to a paper towel to drain. Immediately season with salt and espelette pepper.

To plate:
Note Serve in a bowl.
1. First place your vegetables on the bottom in a colorful layer. Next, gently arrange your scallops on top, use 2-3 for a main course or 1 if serving as an appetizer. Spoon some of the parsley cilantro foam over intermittent sections of the dish to dot it with color and flavor. Finally, pour your lemongrass coconut broth in the bottom of the bowl so that everything is gently bathed in it. Add your garlic chips for garnish and serve immediately.