Truffle Scallops with Polenta Squares and Salad Starter
Truffle scallops with polenta squares and salad as an appetizer is a recipe featuring fresh ingredients from the mussels category. Try this and other recipes from Spoonsparrow!
Ingredients
- 500 ml vegetable stock
- 160 g polenta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 30 g freshly grated Parmesan
- Salt
- black pepper (freshly ground)
- Nutmeg (freshly grated)
- 12 scallops (with shell)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 200 g mixed leaf salad (arugula, Lollo Rosso, frisée…)
- ½ tsp mustard
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp liquid honey
- 2 tbsp clarified butter
- clarified butter (for frying the polenta)
- 25 g black truffle (optional)
Instructions
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1.
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and slowly stir in the polenta. Cook, stirring continuously, until it thickens into a dense mass. Stir in the butter and Parmesan, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, spread about 0.7 cm thick onto an oiled baking sheet, and chill until firm.
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2.
Wash the scallops under running water and use a short knife to cut along the shell edge, severing the adductor muscle. Lift off the cap, loosen the scallop flesh with the knife. Remove white flesh from orange-red roe (coral) and gray edges. Rinse the meat thoroughly several times and cut it crosswise in half.
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3.
Drizzle the scallops with lemon juice and lightly season with salt and pepper.
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4.
Wash, trim, rinse, dry, and tear the salad into bite‑sized pieces.
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5.
Whisk mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and honey together, then slowly whisk in the oil to make a vinaigrette. Taste and adjust seasoning.
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6.
Heat clarified butter in a pan and sear the scallops for 1–2 minutes on each side.
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7.
Cut the chilled polenta into round discs and fry both sides in hot butter until golden.
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8.
Slice the truffle thinly with a mandoline or knife.
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9.
Toss the salad with the vinaigrette.
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10.
Arrange the scallops, truffle slices, polenta squares, and salad decoratively on plates and serve.
