for the pancakes:

1/2 pound celeriac, peeked and grated
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons flour
1 large egg
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil, for frying

for the beurre blanc:
1 cup sparkling wine
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
fine sea salt

for the scallops:
olive oil
6 scallops, abductor muscles removed
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
chopped chives, for garnish

Combine the celeriac with lemon juice in a bowl and toss. Mix in the flour and the egg. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a shallow layer of vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Form celeriac mixture into flat 3-inch patties. Once oil is shimmering, add patties and cook in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a tray lined with paper towels. Yield: 8 to 10 pancakes.

Add sparkling wine and shallot to a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Strain shallot from mixture and return to saucepan set over low heat. Begin vigorously whisking in butter, a little at a time, until an emulsion forms. Season with salt. Yield: 1 cup.

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Liberally season scallops with salt and pepper. Sear scallops for about 2 to 3 minutes per side. They should be brown and crusty on each side and just opaque in the middle.

Arrange pancakes on a platter or individual plates and top each with a scallop. Spoon over with beurre blanc and garnish with chives. Yield: 2 servings.

- Recipe courtesy of Joseph Erdos

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