Equipment
Ingredients
Ravigote Sauce
- 30 ml white wine vinegar
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 20 g shallot, finely minced
- 80 ml grapeseed oil
- 15 g capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 5 g fresh tarragon, finely minced
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely minced
- 5 g fresh chives, finely minced
- fine sea salt
- black pepper
Crab Fritters
- 250 g lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 60 g panko breadcrumbs
- 50 g mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 5 g old bay seasoning
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 500 ml canola oil
Seared Scallops
- 12 dry sea scallops, side muscle removed
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- fine sea salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and shallots. Slowly stream in the grapeseed oil while whisking continuously until a thick emulsion forms.
Fold the capers, tarragon, parsley, and chives into the emulsified dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set aside at room temperature.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, and chopped parsley for the fritter base.
Gently fold the lump crab meat and panko breadcrumbs into the mayonnaise mixture using a spatula, taking care not to break up the large crab lumps.
Cover the bowl tightly and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to hydrate and the mixture to firm up.
Remove the crab mixture from the refrigerator and gently form it into small, tightly packed patties or rounds, yielding about 8 to 12 fritters.
Heat the canola oil in a heavy pot to 175°C/350°F. Carefully lower the fritters into the oil and fry in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden brown. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F to safely cook the egg. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
While the last batch of fritters finishes, thoroughly pat the sea scallops completely dry on all sides using paper towels.
Season the dried scallops generously with fine sea salt and black pepper just moments before cooking.
Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke, approximately 200°C/400°F. Add the scallops, spacing them evenly, and sear without moving them for 2 minutes to develop a dark crust.
Flip the scallops and immediately add the unsalted butter to the pan. Baste the scallops continuously with the foaming butter for 1 minute until their internal temperature reaches 54°C/130°F. Remove from the pan immediately.
Arrange the warm crab fritters and freshly seared scallops onto serving plates. Spoon the vibrant ravigote sauce generously over the seafood and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Always source dry-packed scallops for searing. Wet scallops are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) which causes them to retain water; they will release this moisture into the hot pan, completely ruining your ability to achieve a proper crust.
- When forming the crab fritters, apply just enough pressure to hold the mixture together. Overworking or packing them too densely will result in heavy, tough fritters rather than light, delicate ones.
- Patience is paramount when searing scallops. Once they hit the fiercely hot pan, absolutely do not prod, move, or peek at them. The Maillard reaction requires uninterrupted contact with the hot surface.
- The ravigote sauce can be made a day in advance. The flavor profile will actually benefit from resting in the refrigerator as the shallots and herbs meld with the vinegar and mustard.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store components separately. Fritters will lose crispness.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze raw shaped fritters only. Scallops and sauce do not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat fritters in a 180°C/350°F oven for 10 minutes until crispy. Scallops should be eaten fresh as they become rubbery upon reheating.
