Sea Scallops with Coconut Tapioca, Thai Coconut Broth, and Asian Pear Salad

Makes 6-8 entrée servings

Sea Scallops

24 U-10 sea scallops
2 quarts Thai coconut broth (recipe follows)
1 ½ quarts coconut tapioca (recipe follows)
2 cups Asian pear salad (recipe follows)
16 bulbs Shanghai bok choy
kosher salt
Garnishes: coriander blooms, chive tips, edible flowers

1. Rinse the scallops under cold running water; remove and pat them dry with paper towels. Season them evenly with kosher salt.
2. Heat two cast iron pans on high. Add canola or vegetable oil to the pans. Gently place the scallops in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd.
3. Sear the scallops, monitoring the color for a nice sear (around 1.5 minutes per side). Once the scallops are cooked, carefully remove them with a spatula and place them on a paper towel to rest until needed.
4. Blanch and shock the bok choy and season with kosher salt to taste.

To Plate:

1. Spoon the tapioca mixture into a large bowl with a cookie cutter mold in the center. Fill the mold up with the mixture, carefully remove the mold, and place the cooked scallops in a triangle shape on top.
2. To finish, place the blanched bok choy seasoned with kosher salt along the side of the Asian pear salad and pour a little of the coconut broth around the outside of the tapioca. Garnish with coriander blooms, chive tips, and edible flowers.

Thai Coconut Broth

½ pound unsalted butter (2 sticks)
3 shallots, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup ginger, peeled and sliced
1 cup lemongrass, peeled and thinly sliced
1 fresh Thai chili, sliced
1 cup sake
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup mirin
1 sachet of basil stems and cilantro stems (wrap stems in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine)
3 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves
3 quarts chicken stock
2 cans coconut milk (we prefer Chaokoh brand)
1 cup heavy cream
juice of 2 limes

1. Melt butter in a medium sauce pot and add shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and Thai chili. Cook until tender.
2. Deglaze with sake, rice wine vinegar, and mirin; reduce by half.
3. Add the sachet and lime leaves. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer; cook about 30 minutes.
4. Once the desired flavor has been reached, add the coconut milk and cream. Let the broth come back up to a simmer, then strain through a chinois and season with kosher salt and lime juice. Optional: Additional rice wine vinegar and mirin may be added to taste.

Asian Pear Salad

½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup mirin
juice of 2 limes
1 dried Thai chili, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 inch ginger, finely minced
2 Asian pears, diced
1 navel orange, cut into segments
1 tablespoon chives, sliced

Combine the rice wine vinegar, mirin, and lime juice in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Coconut Tapioca

1 ½ cups small tapioca pearls
2 tablespoons Thai basil, julienned (Italian basil can be substituted)
2 tablespoons cilantro, julienned
2 tablespoons mint, julienned
¼ cup chicken stock
1 can coconut milk (we prefer Chaokoh Brand)
1 cup carrot, balled with a Parisian scoop (or diced)
1 cup shelled edamame, blanched (or frozen edamame, thawed)

1. In a large sauce pot bring 1 gallon of water to a boil.
2. Pour 1.5 cups of uncooked tapioca pearls in the boiling water, stirring often until the tapioca is al dente, or there is a little white dot in the center of the tapioca pearl.
3. Once cooked, pour the tapioca quickly into a mesh strainer and place it in an ice bath to stop further cooking. After it is cooled, toss the strained tapioca in a bowl with a little bit of blended oil to prevent it from sticking. This should yield 1 quart of cooked tapioca.
4. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock to a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Add the edamame, carrots, and tapioca to the liquid, and reduce the mixture down to the consistency of porridge. Remove from heat, add the julienned herbs, and season with kosher salt.