Sunflower Seed-Crusted Scallops

Procedure for Corn Sauce

1. Bring 12 quarts water to a boil. Add salt and corn kernels to pot. Return the water to a boil and cook the corn kernels until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Strain the corn and immediately place in juice. Juice the corn into a pot.
3. Heat the corn juice over low heat whisking constantly and increasing heat until it barely simmers and has the consistency of heavy cream. If the sauce is to thin thicken with cornstarch if to thick mix with corn essence.

Procedure for Celtuce Oil

1. Set immersion circulator 176˚ F.
2. Cut the celtuce into 2-inch pieces. Pulse celtuce in food processor until finely minced.
3. Place celtuce in cryovac bag with canola oil and salt. Place in vacuum chamber and seal.
4. Cook celtuce in water bath for 30 minutes or until tender. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Strain celtuce from oil and reserve oil.

Procedure for Celery Salad

1. Pick the yellow celery leaves and reserve in ice water.
2. Peal celery and cut to size of corn kernels.
3. Peal celtuce and cut to size of corn kernels.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch celtuce, celery and corn in boiling water. Reserve for service.

Procedure for Toasted Hazelnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. At the top of the hazelnuts, there's a small line that marks the spot where the two hazelnuts come together. Using a paring knife, cut each hazelnut in half through the line.
3. Place the hazelnuts in a dry sautée pan and put the pan in the oven. Toast the hazelnuts, tossing every 5 minutes, for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Season with hazelnut oil and salt to taste.

Procedure for Sunflower Seed Crumble

1. Melt butter in sauce pan. Add milk powder and cook over high heat, whisking constantly until the milk solids turn golden brown, about 4 minutes.
2. Drain the solids in a chinos and lay out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain any excess fat. Place the baking sheet in the dehydrator and dehydrate 150˚ F until crispy, about 4 hrs.
3. Preheat a convection oven to 325˚ F. Pass the sunflower seeds through a food mill and the sift through a coarse mesh sieve. Discard the dust.
4. Spread the seeds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
5. Combine 50 gms. of toasted sunflower seeds with 50 gms. milk solids and season with salt. Reserve until plate-up.

To Plate

1. Sear scallops and cook most of the way through, then flip and remove from heat. Brush scallops with honey and top with sunflower mixture.
2. Build celery celtuce and corn salad place on left side of plate.
3. Place sunflower-crusted scallops in a line next to the salad. Pour sauce in between salad and scallops.