Seared Scallops Over Parsnip Puree

Peel and chop parsnips, and place in a saucepan with milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until parsnips are soft.

Put parsnips and all the liquid into a blender with a pinch of salt, pepper and freshly ground nutmeg. Blend until smooth. Add more milk if needed. Keep warm.

Pat dry scallops well, and leave uncovered to further air-dry for 30 minutes or so.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a cast iron pan until almost smoking, and gently add half of the scallops in a single layer, making sure they don’t touch. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the top side. Sear for 2–3 minutes without stirring, until the bottom is deeply browned and scallops are almost all the way cooked through. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and flip the scallops over. Add salt and pepper on the other side, and cook for another minute while basting the scallops with the butter. Remove to a plate and keep warm while you cook the remaining scallops using the remaining oil and butter.

When scallops are cooked and removed to a plate, reduce heat to medium-low and add pine nuts to the pan. Toast for a few minutes until golden.

Serve scallops atop parsnip puree. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top and add some more freshly ground nutmeg. Add fresh herbs if desired.