Brown Butter Scallops with Sweet Potato Gnocchi

[gnocchi serves 2]

6+ U-10 diver scallops (about 3 per person)

2 tbsp butter

2 med-large sweet potatoes

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 egg

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh, chopped rosemary

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan 

Salt & pepper

First, make your gnocchi. Cook sweet potatoes in the microwave in 3 minute intervals, turning after each interval, until soft. Let cool. Cut in half and remove inside, discard skins. Mash in a medium bowl. Add flour, egg, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Fold to gently combine. Flour your countertop/work area and form a loose ball with the dough. Cut into fours. Roll out each fourth in a long cylinder. Then cut small pieces, about half an inch wide. Roll pieces just slightly to get a uniform shape. Cover gnocchi with a kitchen towel and heat a large pot of water to boiling.

Melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium-high heat and let brown. Pat scallops dry and season the top side with a pinch of salt and pepper. Once the butter is browned add the seasoned side of the scallops down on the hot pan (make sure they are spread apart). Let sear, without moving, for 2 mins. Season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip and let cook for 1 minute. During this minute, use a spoon to baste the scallops with butter. Set aside on a small plate and loosely cover with tin foil. 

Turn down the heat to low and let the pan slightly cool. Use a spatula to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Then, add rosemary and garlic and let cook for about 2 minutes. Then add heavy cream and let thicken for about 3 mins. 

While the sauce is coming together, add gnocchi to the pot of boiling water. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. They will cook for about 3 mins. They are done when they are floating at the top. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and place into a small bowl. 

Now, back to the sauce – add the parmesan and let melt, stirring with the edge of your spatula, until combined. Then add gnocchi, stir and flip until all pieces are coated with sauce. 

To serve, I placed the scallops on a small bed of microgreens and added a touch of extra parmesan over the gnocchi.