Pepper Crusted Diver Scallops with Carrot Vanilla Emulsion

Ingredients:
For the Carrot Vanilla Emulsion:
1 lg. Organic carrot
4 oz. Cubed unsalted butter
1 oz. Heavy cream
1 tsp. Lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 Vanilla bean

For the Fennel and Yukon Gold Potato Puree:
2 Fennel bulbs
2 Yukon gold potato
1 Russet potato
1 pint Cream
4 oz. Butter
1/2 cup Sambuca or any anisette
1/2 cup Heavy cream or milk
Salt to taste

Method:
Peel and juice carrot. Warm juice over LOW heat. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with knife. Add bean to juice.Whisk butter into carrot juice SLOWLY. Add the
heavy cream, then lemon juice and season with salt.
 
Core, clean and rough-chop fennel bulbs, then sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add
Sambuca and flambé. Cover with cream. Braise, covered, for about 30 minutes until tender. Puree in food processor or pass through fine-grade sieve. Simmer quartered potatoes in salted water until tender. Strain and run through food mill. Combine purees and season.
 
For the Scallops:
Ground or crush whole peppercorns (enough to cover a plate). Salt 5 large sea scallops (diver).Coat one side of scallops with peppercorn mixture. Heat pan over HIGH heat. Add 1 T of vegetable oil. Place scallops crust side down and sear until brown. Add cold cubed butter in pan. Turnover scallops and finish (about 2 minutes.) Blanch and shock prepared vegetables (baby carrots, pearl onions, haricot verte) and then butter glaze to order. Place fennel puree in center of shallow bowl or plate. Place scallops evenly spaced in a circle around puree (resting part of scallop on puree). Pour shallow pool of sauce in bottom of bowl and arrange butter-glazed vegetables in between the scallops. Garnish with scallion curl.