Maine scallops, cauliflower, and caviar by Franco Sampogna

Ingredients

• Whole live scallops: 6
• Cauliflower: 1. plus more for serving
• Milk: 2.2 lbs
• Butter: 3.5 oz
• Hay: 1 handful
• Sherry vinegar: a dash
• White wine: 3.5 oz
• Shallots: 3
• Butter: 1.1 lbs
• White vinegar: 0.4 oz
• Coconut milk: 1 can
• Lemon juice: to taste
• Ossetra caviar: 5.3 oz

Instructions

1. 1

   For the scallops: The idea is to buy fresh,live scallops in their shells.Open them and rinse in a bath of ice water.

2. 2

   For the cauliflower: Cook the cauliflower whole inside the milk until very soft. Reserve it.Smoke the butter inside a tray with the hay for about one hour.Start blending the cauliflower into a purée,add the smoked butter and blend until very smooth.Season with salt and a dash of vinegar.

3. 3

   For the white wine sauce and caviar: Combine the white wine with the vinegar,diced shallots and reduce it.Emulsify with the butter,add coconut milk and season with salt and lemon juice.Add the caviar before serving.

4. 4

   To finish: Sear the scallops in a pan,finish them in the oven if necessary. Slice them in four.Heat up the puree,plate on the bottom,add the scallops then glaze with the caviar sauce.Add a few slices of raw cauliflower to finish.