Fennel soup and scallop mousseline

Preparation

Mousseline

• Preheat the oven to 50C/120F.
• Remove the row and the attachment-muscle from the scallops if they’re still attached. Purée the scallops with 2tbs of cream, and a pinch of salt using a handheld blender.
• Using a mini-muffin pan, fill 4 cavities with mousseline mixture, making sure that there are no air pockets, finish by smoothing it out on the top.
• Put the muffin tray inside a baking dish with 1cm / ½ inch of water in it.
• Set in the 50C/120F oven for 30 min.

Fennel soup

• In a large fry-pan, sauté the onion with 3/4dl olive oil, and 2 tsp of salt. Sauté on medium high heat (heat-setting 7/10), for 5-10 minutes while stirring, add 4dl of water and sauté until soft but not yet golden.
• When the onion is soft add 6dl cream, and then slowly add 4dl of Pinot Gris while stirring.
• Add 300gr finely chopped fennel and let simmer for 20-25min, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile fry the bacon on medium heat until it’s nice and crispy. Allow to drain on kitchen paper, then break into small bits before plating. Leave the bacon fat in the pan to use for searing the mousseline.
• Purée the soup mixture in a food processor and strain through a fine sieve, using a spatula to press out all the liquid from the solids, solids can be thrown away.
• Options: If you choose to, you can either reheat the soup, or put in the fridge to be chilled. Although it is truly at its best temperate, around 35C/95F.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

Plating

• Carefully take the mousseline out of their cavities using a knife and small spoon.
• Sear the mousseline in the remaining bacon fat in the pan on medium high heat for about 30 seconds on each side or until golden.
• Top the soup with a generous sprinkling of the bacon bits, and plenty of mint leaves. Serve with the freshly seared mousseline, and a glass of crisp fruity Pinot Grigio!