A recipe from my super family dinner for Aki. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures so I can’t tell you what it looks like, but this was one of the better appetizers I’ve ever made. You can substitute other types of potatoes if you want, but yukon gold are much softer and give a much nicer texture.
For the mashed potatoes:
2 medium yukon gold potatoes (3/4 lb), peeled and quartered
2 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp softened butter
3 tbsp milk
2 stalks green onions, chopped
Sea salt and white pepper to taste
For the scallops:
6 colossal scallops (also known as U-10)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice (or squeeze from 1 lemon)
1 tbsp butter
1. Put the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and add the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to medium heat, cooking until the potatoes are soft enough to be pierced through with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes and mash them with a ricer. If you want silky smooth, drain the potatoes through a sieve and smash the potatoes through the sieve using a wooden spoon.
3. Put the pot over low heat and stir in the butter and milk. Add the green onions, salt, and pepper to taste. Keep the mixture over low heat and stir occasionally while you prepare the scallops.
4. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. For best results, scallops should be dry and at room temperature when you’re ready to cook.
5. Pour the oil into a medium pan over high heat, until it is shimmering. Add the scallops to the pan and sear for 6 minutes. Turn them over and sear for another 3 minutes. Remove the scallops to a warm plate.
6. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and butter to the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get the brown bits. You should strain the mixture if you can see black bits.
7. Plate the potatoes in a mound to the middle of six plates. Put a scallop on top of each mound and drizzle with some of the lemon sauce on top and around.