MAINE SCALLOPS WITH ROASTED BABY RED BEET, PICKLED MUSTARD SEED AND PISTACHIO

Maine Scallops with Roasted Baby Red Beet, Pickled Mustard Seed and Pistachio image

Provided by Food Network

Number Of Ingredients 13

8-10 dry scallops
12 baby red beets
2 Tablespoon yellow mustard seed
4 Tablespoon crushed pistachio, toasted
3 Tablespoon olive oil
4 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 Teaspoon sugar
1/2 Teaspoon kosher salt
1 Teaspoon sherry vinegar
2 Tablespoon canola oil
2 Tablespoon butter, unsalted
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 heads mache lettuce (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit . Wash beets and remove stems. Toss cleaned beets with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer beets to an oven safe dish and cover with aluminum foil. Roast beets for approximately 40 minutes until beets are tender. Remove from oven and working carefully rub skin from beets with a kitchen or paper towel. Set aside to cool. Place 4 of the peeled beets in a blender with the sherry vinegar and 2 Tablespoon of olive oil. Blend for 1 minute on high until smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a small sauce pot combine cider vinegar, sugar, and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring mixture to a boil just until sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour hot vinegar mixture over mustard seed and set aside to cool.
Heat a large saute or cast iron pan over high heat. Add canola oil until it begins to smoke. Carefully place scallops in hot oil and sear on one side for 2 minutes until golden brown. Flip scallops, turn heat off and add butter. Baste scallops with butter for 1 minute while still in the pan. Remove scallops from pan.
To assemble, spoon equal parts of beet puree onto 4 serving plates. Cut remaining 8 beets into quarters, season with salt and pepper, and divide onto the four plates on top of the puree. Place 2 scallops on each plate and top with a spoon of the pickled mustard seeds. Finish each plate with a Tablespoon of the crushed pistachio. An optional garnish could be mache lettuce.