Simple But Splendid: Scallops & Mash

Sweet, buttery diver scallops and the earthiness of celery root mashed with potatoes.  It looks elegant yet it's easy to make and requires very little time.  Something to impress a date or the ball and chain with perhaps.

When it's raw celery root has a pleasant flavor a notch or two in intensity down from the stalks, and a snap to it not quite as crisp as an apple.  Slice it thin or into matchsticks for a salad.  When it's cooked it mellows out some but it will still imbue a soup or accompanying vegetables with its fragrance.

Potatoes, when boiled, take very well to butter and creamy flavors, but you don't need that much if you want to really taste them.  I exercised some restraint I would say, adding about 3 tablespoons of butter when I was making the mash.  You could omit the potatoes altogether but then it wouldn't be quite as well rounded in flavor and texture.  You could also puree the vegetables instead of mashing them if you want something smoother.  But I wanted the odd chunk from bite to bite so I did it the old fashioned way.

The diver scallops used were simply seasoned and seared about 2 minutes per side.  They should be opaque and browned on the top and bottom, while the middle will remain translucent.  That doesn't mean they're raw, just less cooked in the middle, which is what you want.  Cooked all the way through will ruin the texture.  If you go any more than 3 minutes a side in a pan on high heat, you're cutting it close.

I garnished only with some good olive oil, but you can make a quick pan sauce with the browned bits left over and some wine/stock, or just some well aged balsamic.  The sweet scallops though do just fine with little or nothing else for me.

Serves Four As a First Course

1 lb. diver scallops, white membranes removed
2 medium celery roots, peeled, cut into 1" cubes
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1" cubes
3 tablespoons of butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Optional: vegetable or canola oil to sear the scallops
Salt & pepper to taste  

Place the vegetables in a pot and cover by 2 inches with cold water.  Bring it up to a boil and cook for an additional 12-15 minutes or until the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork.  Drain and let cool.

Get a large mixing bowl or use a stand mixer, and place the vegetables in it.  Add the butter and begin mashing or mixing.  Taste periodically and add salt and butter to taste, some olive oil too if you like.  Set aside but keep warm.

Pat the scallops dry on all sides and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large frying pan on high until it smokes, then add the scallops.  Cook for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook another 2 minutes or until they are just firm when pressed.  Remove from the pan.

Make a base of the mashed vegetables on the plate and place 3-4 scallops on top.  Garnish with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and black pepper and serve.