Sautéed Scallops with Apple–Walnut Relish

Apples:

• 12 honeycrisp apples
• 2 lemons

Apple Core Jus:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 tablespoons smoked unsalted butter, divided (or regular butter if you can’t find smoked)
• 1 cup TBT Common Lager (or your favorite lager)
• 1 quart apple juice or cider
• 1 quart chicken stock or broth
• 12 smoked apple cores
• 1/2 sprig rosemary
• 1 sprig thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Apple Bread Crumbs:

• Dehydrated apple peels from 12 apples
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon, ground

Apple–Walnut Relish:

• 12 apples, previously peeled and sliced
• 1 cup toasted and salted walnut pieces
• 2 sprigs tarragon
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Scallops:

• 6 U10 day boat scallops, muscle removed
• 1/4 cup kosher salt

To serve:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 clove garlic

For the apples: Wash and peel all apples. Reserve all peels. In a large bowl or container, combine 2 liters water and the juice of two lemons and submerge peeled apples until ready to cut. Cut apples around the core into 3 pieces. Submerge apple pieces back in lemon water until ready to cut again.

Using a food dehydrator or oven set to 135 degrees F, dehydrate the apple peels and cores separately, for 12 to 16 hours, or until completely dry. When the cores are dry, use soaked applewood chips to cold-smoke the cores for 1 hour.

For the apple core jus: In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, sweat garlic and shallots in 1 tablespoon smoked butter until translucent. Deglaze with beer and reduce until the liquid is almost completely evaporated.

Add apple juice, chicken stock, and herbs and reduce until 3 or 4 cups remain, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons cold smoked butter a little at a time until the jus emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep in warm spot on stove until ready to serve.

For the apple bread crumbs: Using a spice grinder or blender, pulverize the dried apple peels into a powder. Pass through a fine mesh strainer. Combine with bread crumbs, salt, and cinnamon and mix until well incorporated. Reserve in a cool, dry place.

For the apple–walnut relish: Cut apple pieces into a small dice. Add to a large bowl and toss in the walnuts. Finely chop both herbs and add to bowl. Add the zest of one lemon, as well as its strained juice. Mix salad together and season with salt and cracked black pepper.

For the scallops: In a large bowl or container, whisk together 2 quarts cold water and kosher salt until salt is fully dissolved. Submerge scallops in salt water for 20 minutes and transfer to the refrigerator. After 20 minutes, remove the scallops from the water and pat dry. Store in refrigerator, uncovered, until ready to cook.

To serve: Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until nearly smoking. Press the tops of each scallop into the bread crumb mixture and sear scallops in hot oil until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the butter, thyme, and garlic to pan to season the butter. Flip scallops and gently baste with hot butter until cooked to medium, about 6 minutes. Remove from pan and rest in warm spot on a resting rack or paper towels for 1 minute.

Plate the dish with scallops, apple jus, and apple–walnut relish.