Pan seared scallops on fennel puree with honey balsamic drizzle
MasterChef New Zealand: Pan seared scallops on fennel
puree with honey balsamic drizzle
20g Mainland Butter
200g fennel, chopped
100g leeks, chopped
1 cup Anchor Milk
1/3 cup Anchor Cream
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 star anise
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
10g Mainland Butter
Olive oil
10g Mainland Butter
12 fresh scallops
Fennel fronds, to serve
1 Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, melt the Mainland
Butter, add the fennel and leeks and sauté until soft.
2 Add the Anchor Milk, Anchor Cream, garlic and star anise, simmer
for 5-7 minutes.
3 Strain the liquid through a sieve, reserve liquid and discard the
star anise. Using a stick blender, blend the fennel and leeks to a
puree using some of the reserved liquid, season with salt and
pepper, strain again through a fine sieve.
4 Heat a saucepan over a medium heat, add the balsamic and allow to
simmer and reduce by half. Stir through the honey and Mainland
Butter.
5 Heat an oiled frying pan over a high heat, add Mainland Butter.
Pat dry the scallops and season with salt. Place scallops in the
hot pan and cook for 90seconds each side, turning only once.
6 Drizzle the honey balsamic onto a serving plate, spoon a line of
the puree down the centre of the plate and top with a row of
scallops, top with fennel fronds to serve.
