Yuzu-Kosho Scallops with Dashi-Citrus Broth, Bok Choy ... - Jenn-Air

Brendan McHale is Executive Chef of TastingTable.com in New York.
Here, he shares a recipe that combines delicate scallops with spicy, citrusy, salty flavors.
Cooking time: 25 minutes (plus 30 minutes to soak kelp and mushrooms). Serving size: 2
Yuzu-Kosho Scallops with Dashi-Citrus
Broth, Bok Choy and Wood Ear Mushrooms
Dashi-Citrus Broth
1 oz. kombu (dried Japanese kelp)
4 cups water
4 cups lightly packed bonito flakes
½ small lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
½ small lime, thinly sliced into rounds
1 thin orange slice
8 fresh cilantro sprigs
8 fresh parsley sprigs
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 scallions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
Scallops and Vegetables
1 cup fresh wood ear mushrooms
6 cups room-temperature water
8 oz. large diver scallops, rinsed under cold
water and patted dry with paper towels
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced crosswise
2 heads baby bok choy (or 2 ribs of bok choy), greens
removed and stems thinly sliced into matchsticks
2 teaspoons pickled mustard seeds (optional)
Yuzu-Kosho Butter
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon yuzu-kosho *
Make the dashi: In a large saucepan, add the kombu and cover with the water. Set aside to soak for 20
minutes. Set the saucepan over a burner and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Use a slotted
spoon to remove and discard the kombu. Add the bonito flakes, reduce the heat to medium-low and
gently simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface of the
liquid. Turn off the heat and pour the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium saucepan.
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Yuzu-Kosho Scallops with Dashi-Citrus Broth, Bok Choy
and Wood Ear Mushrooms (continued)
Make the yuzu-kosho butter: In a small bowl, stir together the butter and the yuzu-kosho.
Set aside.
Clean the wood ear mushrooms: In a large bowl, add the mushrooms and the
room-temperature water. Let the mushrooms soak for 10 minutes, then pull each
mushroom from the bowl, open it and use a paper towel to wipe away any sediment.
Set the mushrooms aside.
Make the scallops: Set a large skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Season the scallops with
½ teaspoon of the salt, add the grapeseed oil to the skillet, then place the scallops in the
skillet, salted side down. Sear the scallops until they are golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn
the scallops over and sear the other side until lightly golden and the center of the scallops
resist light pressure, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons of the yuzu-kosho butter to the
skillet and spoon it over the scallops as the butter melts. Turn off the heat, transfer the scallops
to a cutting board and slice each one into quarters (so each scallop yields 4 small triangles).
Return the skillet to the cooktop over medium heat. Add the remaining yuzu-kosho butter to
the skillet along with the shallot. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot is soft, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the cleaned mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon of salt to the skillet and cook, stirring often,
until the mushrooms are glossy, about 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook until it is bright
green and warmed through, about 1 minute longer. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon
of salt and set aside.
Bring the dashi in the saucepan to a simmer over medium-high heat. In a French press coffee
maker, add the lemon slices, lime slices, orange slice, cilantro, parsley, thyme and scallions.
Pour the hot dashi into the French press, cover with the plunger without pressing down, and
let the mixture steep for 3 minutes before carefully plunging, compressing the aromatics to
the bottom of the French press.
Divide the scallops between 2 bowls. Surround with the bok choy-mushroom mixture and
divide the dashi-citrus broth among the bowls. Add 1 teaspoon of pickled mustard seeds to
each bowl (if using) and serve.
*Yuzu-kosho is a spicy Japanese condiment made from citrusy yuzu, spicy kosho chiles
and salt. You can buy it at Japanese markets or online from specialty importers.
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