Seared King Oyster Scallops

Method

1. 1

   Cut and score the stems

   Cut the stems into rounds a little thicker than your thumb, discarding the caps or saving them for another dish. Score a shallow crosshatch into both flat faces of each round, cutting no more than a third of the way through, so the brine has somewhere to go and the seared face crisps into ridges.

2. 2

   Brine them

   ⏱ 10 min

   Tear the nori into small pieces and put it in a bowl with the miso, soy sauce and enough warm water to cover the rounds. Whisk until the miso dissolves, add the rounds and turn them so every cut face is wet. Leave them to sit while the pan heats.

3. 3

   Sear the cut faces

   ⏱ 5 min

   Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Lift the rounds out of the brine, letting them drip, and lay them scored side down in one layer. Leave them alone until the underside is deep golden and the scored lines have gone dark, then turn them and do the same on the other side.

4. 4

   Butter, garlic, lemon

   ⏱ 2 min

   Drop the butter into the pan with the sliced garlic and let it foam, tilting the pan and spooning the buttery garlic over the rounds until it smells sweet and nutty. Take the pan off the heat, add the lemon juice and parsley, season, and serve while the edges are still crisp.