Seared Scallops with sweet corn puree and crispy pork belly

 

Ingredients for Pork Belly: 

1-1.5lbs pork belly (cut into 1 inch cubes)

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 TBSP soy sauce

2 TBSP rice wine vinegar

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

salt and pepper

Optional: hot honey bbq sauce

Ingredients for corn puree:

4 ears of corn
2 TBSP butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp smoked paprika

salt and pepper

Ingredients for charred corn garnish:

3 ears of corn
2 TBSP butter

salt

Ingredients for scallops:

12-20 large dry sea scallops

1 TBSP butter

1 TBSP olive oil

salt, pepper, smoked paprika

optional: parsley for garnish

Directions: 

1. Prep your scallops by removing the small side muscle and then setting them on a clean dish towel and then covering them with another clean dish towel.  Keep in the fridge until ready to sear.  

2. Combine the ingredients for the pork belly marinade - minced garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Whisk. Marinate the pork belly for at least an hour or up to 6 hours. 

3. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the pork belly out in a single layer on the sheet tray. Cook for 20 minutes. 

4. Start your corn puree. Cut the kernels from the cob and place in a large pan with 1 TBSP butter and a bit of salt.  Sauté the corn, turning occasionally for about 7-8 minutes or until tender. 

5. Transfer the corn to a high speed blender. Add the heavy cream, pepper, paprika and other TBSP of butter. Note - if you have a bullet blender you may have to separate this into two batches in order to blend properly. Taste for seasoning. 

6. Push puree through a fine mesh strainer into a pot you can keep warm on the stove. 

7. Time to flip your pork belly. Cook for another 15-20 minutes on the other side or until tender (check with a fork) and some ends are crispy and caramelized. 

8. If you have some bigger pieces of pork belly, cut them up. As you can see in my pictures, I chopped them up pretty small so you can have a little crackling of pork belly in each bite. If desired, drizzle with a little bbq sauce and keep warm.

9. Char your corn for garnish. With the last 3 ears of corn, char them on the grill or over an open flame on your stove. Then, cut the kernels off the cobb and sauté (in the same pan you used for the corn before) with 2 TBSP butter and salt until tender - about 5-6 minutes. Keep warm

10. Time for your scallops. Heat a clean non stick pan to high heat with 1 TBSP butter and 1 TBSP olive oil. Season the scallops with salt, pepper, paprika on one side and immediately add to the pan seasoned side down. Season the other side of the scallops when they are in the pan. 

11. Flip the scallops after 3 minutes. You should have a nice hard sear like my picture shows.  Continue to cook for another 3 minutes. 

12. Remove the scallops to a paper towel-lined plate for 20 seconds before plating. 

13. Plate your dish by adding a few spoons of the puree on the bottom. Top with pork belly pieces and charred corn. Set a few scallops around the plate. Garnish with parsley, if desired. 

Wine pairing: 

Vicentin
Blanc de Malbec
2022
Vista Flores, Argentina