Although Toronto is full of new and trendy restaurants, it's also the home of the elegant Fairmont Royal York hotel, renowned for its class and quality. The refined destination is also home to Epic restaurant, where executive chef Robert Mills just released his winter menu. On it, you'll find dishes like this scallop dish with butternut squash puree and chestnut salad. Even if you can't make it there, you can try making this dish with his recipe.
Butternut sage puree
Place butter and sage in a medium pot and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes to infuse the butter with the sage.
Remove the sage from the butter and add the squash, as well as 1L water.
Cook the squash for roughly 15 minute or until tender. Strain out the water and reserve.
Place squash and cream in a blender, and puree for 1 minute until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
If the puree is too thick, use some of the reserved water to thin it out.
Scallops
In a cast iron pan over high heat, add olive oil and sear your scallops to a medium rare.
Chestnut salad
In a pan over high heat, add oil, and sauté the leeks, rutabaga, chestnuts and bacon lardons. Cook for 2 minutes until everything is warm. Remove from heat.
Finish with wine, butter and salt and pepper.
Assembly
Spoon the puree on a large white plate and using an offset spatula create a vertical line running across the plate.
Spread the chestnut salad horizontally over the puree smear.
Carefully balance the three seared scallops on top of the chestnut salad and garnish with lemon verbena.
