Scallops with Potato Pancakes and Caviar Sauce

By CheeseDiva

Ingredients

• PANCAKES
• 1 lb. baking potatoes
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 c. matzo meal
• 1/4 c. grated onion
• salt
• vegetable oil
• SCALLOPS AND CAVIAR SAUCE
• 1 1/2 c. Champagne
• 9 black peppercorns
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large shallot
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Crème fraîche
• 1 1/2 stick cold unsalted butter
• 1 oz. caviar
• salt
• vegetable oil
• 20 medium sea scallops
• 2 tbsp. minced chives

Details

Adapted from delish.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make the pancakes: Coarsely shred the potatoes and squeeze out any excess liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the egg, matzo meal, onion, and a large pinch of salt. Shape the mixture into 20 scallop-size cakes, about 1/2 inch thick; press the cakes to compress them.
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the pancakes over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Lower the heat if the pancakes brown too quickly and add more oil if necessary. Transfer the pancakes to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
Prepare the scallops and caviar sauce: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a small saucepan, combine the Champagne with the peppercorns, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, shallot, and lemon juice and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 15 minutes. Strain the sauce into another small saucepan. Stir in the crème fraîche and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in the caviar and season lightly with salt. Cover the sauce and keep it warm.
Wipe out the skillet and heat 1/4 inch of oil in it until shimmering. Season the scallops with salt and add half of them to the skillet. Cook over high heat until richly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you cook the remaining scallops.
Rewarm the potato pancakes in the oven. Arrange the pancakes on a platter and set a scallop on each one. Add the chives to the caviar butter sauce and spoon over the scallops. Serve right away.