Scallops With Seaweed Butter

From L'atelier de Joel Robuchon

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 8  large fresh sea scallops
• 8  tablespoons rock salt
• 1⁄4 sheet nori, finely chopped to make 8 pinches
• 1⁄2 lime
•  sea salt
•  ground red chili pepper (piment d'espelette) or  fresh black pepper

Directions

1. Arrange 8 clean scallop shells or gratin dishes on baking sheets. Using pastry brush and about 2 tbsp of butter brush each scallop with butter. Set 1 scallop in shell, refrigerate until the butter has firmed on th e scallop, 10 - 15 minutes. Preheat Boiler to High.
2. Neatly mound 2 tbsp rock salt, spacing well apart on large plates. Remove scallops from refrigerator and sprinkle each with a pinch of nori. Dot with remaining 2 tbsp butter. Broil until scallops are barely cooked through, about 3 minutes.
3. Transfer scallop shells to plates, nestling each into a mound of salt. Sprinkle with lime juice as desired and season with sea salt and piment d'Espelette to taste. Serve immediately.