Daniel Clifford’s Scallop, Leek, Potato and Truffle

Daniel Clifford is Chef Patron of the two Michelin-starred restaurant, Midsummer House in Cambridge. This stunningly clever recipe is a real showstopper!

Ingredients

For the leek:
  • 4 extra-large leeks with root
For the confit Yukon potato:
  • 125g butter
  • 2g truffle oil
  • 3g salt
  • 10ml lemon juice
  • 2g thyme
  • 6 large Yukon gold potatoes
For the truffle butter:
  • 200g unsalted butter
  • 4g salt
  • 10g fine chopped truffle
  • 4g white truffle oil
For the scallop:
  • 4 large, hand dived scallops
For the leek and scallop foam:
  • 100g scallop musses
  • 50g butter
  • 500g fish stock
  • 1 stick celery
  • 50g white leek trim
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 5g thyme
  • 125g white wine
For the puree:
  • 150g dark green lee
  • 100g crème fraiche
  • 50g butter
  • 500g scallop stock
  • 50g large leaf spinach (washed 3 times)
  • Lecithin

Method

For the leek: Cut the leek 25cm in length 2 cm from the root cut around the leek leaving 1cm gap on under side from the 1st cut make a cut from that 2 layers deep the whole way along the leek.

Gently open the leek up. Cut 1cm from the 1st at the whole way though the leek allowing you to remove the middle.

Take a layer of the core of the leek as this is needed for a cover.

Keep all the different sections.

Place the centre column of the leek into a pan and boil for 5 minutes then cut into 12 rondels.

For the confit Yukon potato: Bring all ingredients to the boil and cool.

Peel and slice the potato into 1cm slices. Using a 3cm round cutter stamp out each slice.

Wash and dry the disks. Place in one layer a boilable vac pack bag. Add the butter and seal.

Cook at 100°C steam for 6-8 minutes (until tender) allow to cool naturally and then place in the fridge.

For the truffle butter: Soften the butter and blend all together.

Roll in cling film 3cm round. Set in fridge. Remove cling film and slice 3cm thick. You need 12 slices.

For the scallops: Open, clean and wash the scallops.

Keep the white mussels that are attaching the scallop to the shell. Wash and dry and put aside for the stock.

Once the scallops have dried cut each one into 3 slices. Cut each slice into a round using 3cm cutter.

Roughly chop the trim.

Spoon the trim into the middle of each leek and flatten.

For the leek and scallop foam: Finely slice vegetables. Sweat in the butter until soft.

Add scallop mussels and cook for 5 minutes. Add white wine and reduce by half. Add first stock.

Bring to boil. Infuse for 10 minutes and pass through a fine sieve.

For the puree: Finely slice the leek. Seat in butter until soft (2 minutes).

Add the stock and crème fraiche. Bring to boil.

Place into a blender with spinach.

Blend until smooth and pass through a fine sieve onto an iced bowl.

For every 250ml of velute blend in 12g lecithin.

To build the leek: Take 12 slices of truffle and cut with a 3cm cutter. Lay the leek, potato, truffle, leek, butter and scallop and repeat 3 times. Take a sheet of foil and squash into a sausage like shape. Place this at the end of the layer.

Then take the single layer of leek and cover all the fillings, slipping it in-between the 2 layers of the shell. When the filling is entirely enclosed tie some string 4 times along the length of the leek, so it is secure.

To cook: Being very careful at all times, place the leeks on a griddle at 200° turning the leeks the whole way round. You don’t want the core temperature at the filling to exceed 40°C, this would overcook the scallop. Heat the puree and foam to 58°C. Blend the foam to form a strong cappuccino. Remove the spring and tin foil. Place parallel to a quenelle of puree on the plate. Dust plate with burnt onion powder. Place foam into small pan. Remove the single layer of leek in front of your guest and pour sauce over the whole leek.

Ingredients

For the leek:
  • 4 extra-large leeks with root
For the confit Yukon potato:
  • 125g butter
  • 2g truffle oil
  • 3g salt
  • 10ml lemon juice
  • 2g thyme
  • 6 large Yukon gold potatoes
For the truffle butter:
  • 200g unsalted butter
  • 4g salt
  • 10g fine chopped truffle
  • 4g white truffle oil
For the scallop:
  • 4 large, hand dived scallops
For the leek and scallop foam:
  • 100g scallop musses
  • 50g butter
  • 500g fish stock
  • 1 stick celery
  • 50g white leek trim
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 5g thyme
  • 125g white wine
For the puree:
  • 150g dark green lee
  • 100g crème fraiche
  • 50g butter
  • 500g scallop stock
  • 50g large leaf spinach (washed 3 times)
  • Lecithin

Method

For the leek: Cut the leek 25cm in length 2 cm from the root cut around the leek leaving 1cm gap on under side from the 1st cut make a cut from that 2 layers deep the whole way along the leek.

Gently open the leek up. Cut 1cm from the 1st at the whole way though the leek allowing you to remove the middle.

Take a layer of the core of the leek as this is needed for a cover.

Keep all the different sections.

Place the centre column of the leek into a pan and boil for 5 minutes then cut into 12 rondels.

For the confit Yukon potato: Bring all ingredients to the boil and cool.

Peel and slice the potato into 1cm slices. Using a 3cm round cutter stamp out each slice.

Wash and dry the disks. Place in one layer a boilable vac pack bag. Add the butter and seal.

Cook at 100°C steam for 6-8 minutes (until tender) allow to cool naturally and then place in the fridge.

For the truffle butter: Soften the butter and blend all together.

Roll in cling film 3cm round. Set in fridge. Remove cling film and slice 3cm thick. You need 12 slices.

For the scallops: Open, clean and wash the scallops.

Keep the white mussels that are attaching the scallop to the shell. Wash and dry and put aside for the stock.

Once the scallops have dried cut each one into 3 slices. Cut each slice into a round using 3cm cutter.

Roughly chop the trim.

Spoon the trim into the middle of each leek and flatten.

For the leek and scallop foam: Finely slice vegetables. Sweat in the butter until soft.

Add scallop mussels and cook for 5 minutes. Add white wine and reduce by half. Add first stock.

Bring to boil. Infuse for 10 minutes and pass through a fine sieve.

For the puree: Finely slice the leek. Seat in butter until soft (2 minutes).

Add the stock and crème fraiche. Bring to boil.

Place into a blender with spinach.

Blend until smooth and pass through a fine sieve onto an iced bowl.

For every 250ml of velute blend in 12g lecithin.

To build the leek: Take 12 slices of truffle and cut with a 3cm cutter. Lay the leek, potato, truffle, leek, butter and scallop and repeat 3 times. Take a sheet of foil and squash into a sausage like shape. Place this at the end of the layer.

Then take the single layer of leek and cover all the fillings, slipping it in-between the 2 layers of the shell. When the filling is entirely enclosed tie some string 4 times along the length of the leek, so it is secure.

To cook: Being very careful at all times, place the leeks on a griddle at 200° turning the leeks the whole way round. You don’t want the core temperature at the filling to exceed 40°C, this would overcook the scallop. Heat the puree and foam to 58°C. Blend the foam to form a strong cappuccino. Remove the spring and tin foil. Place parallel to a quenelle of puree on the plate. Dust plate with burnt onion powder. Place foam into small pan. Remove the single layer of leek in front of your guest and pour sauce over the whole leek.