Seared Scallops, Spanner Crab Mousse, Miso Hollandaise and Nori Dust - Chef Recipe by Alan O'Keeffe

Ingredients

8 scallops on the shell

Miso Hollandaise:

60 g egg yolk
20mL Japanese vinegar
20 g miso paste
10 g salt
500mL clarified butter (melted)
1 lemon, juiced

Crab mousse:

200 g white fish
1 egg
50mL cream
5 g salt
200 g picked spanner crab meat
10 g chopped chives
1 lemon zested

Side salad on the shell:

2 baby cucumber
40 g green elk (mustard leaf)
20 g toasted sesame seed
Japanese vinegar (to taste)
Sesame oil (to taste)
Pinch of salt flakes

Nori dust:

4 sheets of nori paper (sushi paper)

Method

Miso Hollandaise:

Use a pot of boiling water as a bain-marie and a stainless-steel bowl to cook the Hollandaise.

Put the egg yolk, Japanese vinegar, miso paste and salt in the stainless-steel bowl. Place the bowl over the pot of boiling water and whisk the egg yolks until they become stiff. Continue whisking and slowly add in the melted clarified butter.

When finished remove from the heat and add in the juice of one lemon. Store in a container away from the heat until needed. Do not refrigerate. Add a small amount of boiling water if the sauce becomes too thick.

Crab mousse:

Blend the white fish, egg, cream and salt in a food processor.

Put the fish mousse into a mixing bowl and fold through the crab meat, chives and lemon zest. Put the crab mousse in a piping bag. Lay out some cling wrap on a bench and pipe the mix lengthways. Roll the mousse into a cylindrical shape and tie at the ends. Use a pin to pierce the cling wrap to remove any air bubbles and roll again tightly.

To cook, poach for 12 minutes and cool in a bowl of ice water. When completely cool slice into smaller discs resembling the shape of the scallop.

Side salad on the shell:

Slice the baby cucumbers into thin slices. Using a small mixing bowl add the cucumber, green elk, sesame seed. Add a splash of vinegar and sesame oil but not too much as it will wilt the salad. Season with a pinch of salt and arrange neatly on the clean scallop shell.

Nori dust:

Blend the nori paper in a food processor or spice blender until it’s a fine dust.

Scallops:

Start by cooking the scallops on a very hot non-stick pan without oil. Cook for one minute or until properly caramelised. Turn the scallops over and only cook for 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat, season with salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Take them out of the pan immediately or they will overcook.

Using a bamboo steamer reheat the crab mouse until warmed through.

Begin plating by putting a ladle of miso Hollandaise on each plate, neatly arrange two scallops and two pieces of crab mouse on the Hollandaise.

Garnish with micro coriander, red seaweed and nori dust. Place a scallop shell with salad on each plate and serve.

Recipe provided by Catalina