These Seared Scallops on Cauliflower Puree are a great 30-minute meal when you want to impress. The scallops are seared until they form a golden crust and served on a creamy cauliflower puree with a simple sauce and crispy bacon.
4cupsroughly chopped cauliflower (approx 1/4 inch sized pieces)
2tbspbutter or ghee
2cupsalmond milk
2clovescrushed garlic
1/2tspsalt
Bacon & Parsley Sauce
4stripsbacon
1poundlarge scallops(muscle removed)
1tbspbutter or ghee
1/3cupchicken stock
1/2tbspwhite wine vinegar
1/2tsppepper
1tbspchopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Heat the ghee/butter in a large non stick skillet on medium high heat. Add in the garlic and cook for 10 seconds before adding in the cauliflower. Leave the cauliflower to cook for 8 minutes, stirring every few minutes until its golden in colour.
While the cauliflower is cooking, in another skillet cook 4 strips bacon until crispy. Once the bacon is crisp, chop it into small pieces and set aside. Leave any bacon fat in the pan.
Once the cauliflower is evenly golden in colour, pour in the almond milk, season with salt and leave to simmer for 10 minutes until all of the liquid has evaporated. Once all of the liquid has evaporated add the cauliflower to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Transfer the puree back to the pan to keep warm while you finish the scallops.
Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel, season them on both sides with salt and pepper and place them in the skillet with the bacon fat. Leave them to cook on medium high heat for 2 minutes until a golden crust has formed and then flip and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Once the scallops are seared on both sides, transfer them to a plate.
Add the ghee/butter to the pan and once it has melted, pour in the chicken stock and white wine vinegar. Increase the heat to high and leave to simmer for approximately 4 minutes until the sauce has begun to reduce and turns cloudy in colour and then stir in the parsley and pepper.
Return the scallops to the pan, spoon the sauce overtop and let them rest for just 30 seconds in the pan to heat through. To serve, portion the cauliflower puree between 4 plates, top with the scallops and drizzle the sauce overtop, finally sprinkle the chopped bacon over each plate.