Seared Scallops With Toasted Hazelnut and POM Brown Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

• 450ml POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
• 3 tablespoons arils from 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate (edible juice sac)
• 2 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, rough chopped
• 5 tablespoons butter – melted and browned (‘beurre noisette’)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 large Celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into medium-sized cubes
• 100ml double cream
• 500ml water
• Salt and pepper to taste

• 24 large diver-caught scallops
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 16 sprigs watercress
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

To prepare fresh pomegranate juice*, score 1 fresh pomegranate and place it in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate under water to free the arils – they will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the white fibrous membrane will float to the top.

Sieve out the arils and put them in a separate bowl, reserving 3 tablespoons of the arils from fruit and set aside (remaining arils may be refrigerated or frozen for use another time). Over a medium-high heat, cook the butter until it is completely melted and starts to turn golden brown, removing it from the heat before it goes too dark. In a small saucepan, reduce the pomegranate juice to approx. 125mls (7/8 tablespoons) over medium-low heat until thick and syrupy and then add the pomegranate arils, hazelnuts, brown butter and lemon juice. When the scallops are cooked, finish the sauce by adding the chopped chives and then season with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick, you can let it down by adding a touch of water.

Place the diced celeriac, water and double cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat until the flesh is tender. Drain off the liquid and blend the celeriac until it has a smooth texture similar to potato puree (if the mash is too firm to blend, use some of the cooking liquid to help loosen it). Season with salt and pepper and reserve the celeriac in a warm spot until serving.

Allow a good non-stick pan to come to a high heat before starting to cook. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and then quickly sear them, being careful not to overcook. For large scallops this should take about 1 minute on each side for a perfect medium rare middle and delicious caramelised outer.

Use a spoon to make a large swoosh across each warmed plate with the puree, place three scallops next to the celeriac and spoon over the sauce. Garnish the plate with the watercress and serve immediately. Enjoy!

* For 450-500ml of juice, cut 4-6 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheeseclothlined strainer or fine sieve and set the juice aside.