INGREDIENTS

12 Alaskan (Kodiak) U-10 Scallops
2 pounds Japanese Yams
4 Baby Bok Choy
4 oz. Whole Sweet Butter
14 oz. Cottonseed Oil
6 oz. Candied Pecans
8 oz. Pomegranate Molasses
2 oz. Pecan Oil
1 Pomegranate
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle Japanese yams with cottonseed oil and roast at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes or until fork tender (cooking times will vary depending on strength of oven). When cool enough to handle, remove skins and pass through tamis to remove any remaining skin. Warm in sauté pan with whole sweet butter over medium heat.

Heat sauté pan for scallops over high heat until it begins to smoke, add cottonseed oil to coat pan and heat until it starts to smoke. Season all sides of the scallops with salt and pepper. Sear until golden brown on both sides, approximately 1 minute per side. Scallops should be served medium rare to medium. Some opaqueness will be visible in the center of the scallop.

Add blanched baby bok choy to scallop pan and warm with whole sweet butter. Dollop warmed Japanese yam puree onto plate, top with warmed baby bok choy and candied pecans.

Arrange scallops around yams and drizzle oil. After removing scallops from the pan, add pomegranate molasses to the drippings with a small amount of butter. Drizzle the pomegranate molasses mixture over the entire plate. Garnish the plate with pomegranate seeds, or use thinly sliced yams that have been seasoned and fried in cottonseed oil. Serves 4.

Recipe donated by:  Chef de Cuisine Loren Gahala, The Crow’s Nest , Hotel Captain Cook