Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot
• sliced
• 1 large sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 90g/3¼oz honey
• 2½ tbsp white wine vinegar
• 15g/½oz salt
• pinch white peppercorns
• 1 cauliflower
• cut into florets
• 50g/2oz butter
• 2 large cauliflowers
• cut into florets
• 50g/2oz unsalted butter
• drizzle white truffle oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75g/2½oz butter
• 110g/4oz shallots
• finely sliced
• 8g cumin seeds
• toasted and lightly blitzed in a food processor
• 250g/9oz button mushrooms
• sliced
• 500ml/18fl oz fish stock
• 500ml/18fl oz Gewürztraminer wine
• 500ml/18fl oz double cream
• 8 large scallops
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tbsp micro herbs
• 1 tbsp white truffle oil

Directions

• For the sousing liquid
• add the olive oil to a large saucepan and sweat the shallot without colouring. Add the thyme and bay leaf and continue to cook for another minute.
• Add the honey
• white wine vinegar
• salt
• peppercorns and 600ml/20fl oz water. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes
• then pass through a sieve into a clean saucepan and set aside to cool.
• Add the cauliflower florets to the cooled liquid and bring to the boil
• then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes
• or until the florets are soft
• then leave to cool in the liquid.
• Remove the cauliflower from the liquid and pat dry. Heat a non-stick frying pan until hot. Add the butter and the cauliflower and cook until caramelised. Set aside until ready to serve.
• For the caramelised cauliflower purée
• place the cauliflower in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer until fully cooked.
• Strain the cauliflower over a bowl
• reserving the cooking liquor.
• Place the cauliflower into a blender and blend to a fine purée.
• Put a frying pans onto the heat and add the butter. Add the purée and fry until it stars to caramelise
• whisking occasionally.
• When the mixture is nice and brown
• return the purée to the blender and blitz once more until very fine and smooth.
• Add a little truffle oil and
• if necessary
• thin the purée by adding a little cooking liquor. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the cumin velouté
• add a third of the butter to a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots
• cumin and a pinch of salt. Fry until softened but not coloured. Add the mushrooms and cook until slippery.
• Add the fish stock
• bring to the boil and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Add the wine and reduce by a third.
• Add the cream
• bring to the boil and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan then whisk in the remaining butter and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the scallops
• season the scallops on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the scallops for two minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and squeeze a little lemon juice over the top.
• For the cumin velouté
• use a hand blender to form a froth.
• To serve
• spread some cauliflower purée in the middle of each plate then place the scallops and caramelised cauliflower around. Dress the chives and micro herbs with lemon juice
• olive oil
• salt and black pepper and place over the scallops. Drizzle with a little truffle oil and dots of the velouté froth
• then serve.