This dish was served at a Chef’s Table in the kitchen this week, and was paired with a 2005 Peter Michael L’Apres-Midi Sauvignon Blanc.  The tasting notes on this highly-rated wine include notes of citrus and lychee, with a clean and crisp finish.  The flavors of this dish were meant to be muted, earthy and mildly sweet, to pair with the dry nature of the wine; fresh chive and an herb puree were added to enhance the herbaceous notes of the white wine.  As an aside, I love the name of this wine, with “l’apres-midi” translating to “afternoon”.  Here in North Carolina, this type of wine is very popular for it’s ability to offset the sticky, humid Southern summer afternoons.

The scallops for this dish were brined in a .05% salt water solution for 20 minutes, and were then cooked at 122 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.  They were then shocked in an ice bath and held for service.  The final preparation entailed a quick sear to develop the natural sugars.  They were then sliced thinly and quickly glazed with a torch and finished with a couple flecks of coarse sea salt.

The cauliflower puree was prepared by cooking down cauliflower with chicken stock, heavy cream, fresh thyme, and shallots.  Once the cauliflower was tender, it was transferred to a blender and pureed until smooth.  Cream from the pot was added slowly to reach the desired consistency, then the puree was seasoned to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, and finished with a couple drops of lemon juice and truffle oil.

Dehydrated cauliflower chips and purple cauliflower added additional flavor, texture and visual interest.

Not pictured here are the freshly sliced black summer truffled which were shaved table side.