Pan Roasted Scallops W Sweet Potato Puree And Walnut Vinaigrette - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 medium fresh scallops
1 large yam (or 2 sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup walnuts
5 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3 teaspoons walnut oil
3 teaspoons chopped shallots (or green onion)
2 cups baby arugula leaves
1 tablespoon soft butter
salt
pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.
For the puree: Wash the yam and towel dry. Puncture it with a fork in several places, season it with salt and pepper, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for approximately 3 minutes (until the center is cooked and soft). Cut the cooked yam in half long ways and scoop out the flesh. Puree in a food processor or with a blender. Season with butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.
For the vinaigrette: Place walnuts on a baking sheet and cover with the granulated sugar. Bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Then, in a bowl, whisk together the walnut oil, 4 tsp of olive oil, vinegar, walnuts, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
For the scallops: Season the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a non-stick pan on high heat (7 out of 10 on my stove) with the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil. Saute the scallops a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Total saute time should be about 6 minutes.
Once scallops are ready, quickly toss 2 tsps of the vinaigrette with the arugula leaves in a separate bowl.
For assembly: Spread the puree onto each plate into a flat pancake (you can warm the puree in the microwave if it has become cold). Top the puree pancakes with a small pile of seasoned arugula leaves. Then place 3 sauteed scallops on top of the leaves. Finish each plate by drizzling the vinaigrette over the top, drizzling around the plates edge for a \"gourmet\" finish!