5. Seared abalone
This lightly seared abalone dish brings a gasp of delight to diners. One of the most typical ways to prepare abalone, pounded, seared over high heat and rested, the layering of flavors and textures, locally foraged and gardened, makes the enjoyment of the dish as exquisite to eat as to look at. It is a classic example of how a stunning presentation can bring a dish to a higher level.
For a wine pairing, Charron recommends a Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Federspiel Wachau 2013.
“Grüner Veltliner was an obvious choice to pair with the artichoke and borage in the dish,” Charron said. “It also lends itself well to the abalone.”
For a more out-of-the-box pairing, she recommends a light and elegant red burgundy as long as the fruit or tannins are not too forward, such as a Domaine de Montille "En Champans" Volnay 1er Cru 2009.
Seared abalone- garden borage, toasted barley, textures of artichokes, lemon brown butter
Ingredients
- 4 Monterey Bay red abalone
- Canola oil for cooking
- salt to taste
Accompaniments
- 2 cups each borage leaves and spinach
- 2 cups barley
- 8 sunchokes
- 4 each large and small artichokes
- rice bran oil, for deep frying
- 1 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- juice of 2 lemons
- Garnish – borage flowers and shaved parmesan cheese
Method
- Clean abalone and pound gently with a mallet. Make sure it is evenly pounded and pliable - soft but not too tight.
- To make the Borage puree, blanch borage and spinach until just wilted, and shock in iced water. Blend to a smooth green puree, adding a little water and salt as needed.
- For the barley, toast the barley in a 350 F oven with a little olive oil for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
- To prepare the sunchokes, thinly slice, then place in small pot and cover with milk. Simmer until cooked until soft, then blend to a smooth silky puree, using as much milk is needed to make desired consistency. Season to taste.
- For the artichokes, slice the small artichokes on a mandolin then sear in a cast iron skillet using canola oil, until golden brown. For the larger artichokes, turn and slice very thinly on a mandolin, then deep fry in rice bran oil at 350 F until caramel brown and crisp.
- To prepare the abalone, season with salt and pepper, then sear in a cast iron skillet with canola oil. Remove from the pan and rest.
- While abalone is resting, prepare the pan sauce. Brown the butter, then add the garlic, lemon juice and salt to taste.
- Just before serving, mix the cooked barley with the borage puree so it is bright and green. Check seasoning.
- To plate, place the sunchoke puree on the plate, then spoon on the barley. Add the seared abalone then place the sautéed artichokes and fried artichokes on top. Spill the brown butter, lemon sauce over top.
- To garnish, place borage flowers and shaved parmesan on the top of the dish.
