Corn purée

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 cup skim or 2% milk
1 tsp salt, or to taste

METHOD:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until shallots are softened and translucent. Add corn and milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt.

Using an immersion blender, purée until smooth. Add a little more salt if needed. Keep warm.

Succotash

INGREDIENTS:

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½ -inch cubes (2 cups)
1 large celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into ½ -inch cubes (2 cups)
2 Tbsp canola oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup whipping (33%) cream
1 cup fresh or frozen corn

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine squash, celeriac and oil and toss. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside.

In a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté bacon for 5 minutes, until fat has rendered and bacon begins to crisp. Drain excess bacon fat, leaving 2 tablespoons (enough to just coat the root vegetables).

Return pan to stove, reduce to medium heat and add squash, celeriac and whipping cream. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until cream has reduced by half. Stir in corn, then season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Scallops

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup canola oil, plus extra if needed
20 large (10/20 size) fresh scallops, muscle removed
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Seasonal greens, like basil and sorrel leaves, to serve (optional)

METHOD:

Heat oil to a depth of ¼ inch in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper, then add to the pan in batches (to avoid overcrowding). Sear scallops for 1 to 1½ minutes, until a golden brown crust forms. Flip scallops over and sear for another 1 to 1½ minutes, until browned and cooked medium-rare to medium.

Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to rest. Repeat with remaining scallops and top up with more oil, if necessary.

Assembly:

Divide the hot corn purée among 4 plates and spread out using the back of a spoon. Add succotash to the centre of each plate, then arrange 5 scallops on top. Garnish with seasonal greens (if using). Serve immediately.

Excerpted from Island Eats: Signature Chefs’ Recipes from Vancouver Island and the Salish Sea by Dawn Postnikoff and Joanne Sasvari. Photographs by Gabriel Cabrera and Danika McDowell. Recipes copyright © 2021 by individual restaurants. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.