Seared Scallops with Roasted-Garlic Sabayon

Seared Scallops with Roasted-Garlic Sabayon

Adapted From Bon Appétit January 2003
This is a very quick and elegant sauce. I served a dollop of it underneath a single scallop with a side of kale crisps….a little play on fish and chips.

2 heads of garlic
4 t olive oil
1 ¼ pounds sea scallops
½ c clam juice
3 T fresh lemon juice
4 egg yolks
1 t chopped fresh parsley
1 t chopped fresh tarragon
1 t chopped fresh chives

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut top ¼ inch off heads of garlic to expose cloves. Place garlic heads on large sheet of foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil over garlic and wrap loosely but completely in foil; place packet directly on oven rack and roast until very soft, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic from skins into bowl. Using fork, mash roasted garlic until smooth.
2. Heat 3 teaspoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Sear scallops until brown and just opaque in center, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plate. Tent with foil to keep warm
3. Meanwhile, bring clam juice and vermouth to boil in small saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Whisk egg yolks and 2 tablespoons roasted garlic puree in large metal bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in clam juice mixture. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water) and whisk until sabayon is thick and creamy and thermometer registers 160 degrees, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Whisk in parsley, tarragon, and chives. Season sabayon with salt and pepper.