Seared Scallops With Fried Shiitakes And A Sweet Relish Served With Lemon Basil Oil

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups red onion, brunoise (very small dice, about 1/8 inch)
• 1/2 cup yellow peppers, brunoise
• 1 green chili, minced, seeds and all
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1 cup tomato concasse, pealed, seeded, and finely diced
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 bunch chives, sliced very thin
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 2 cups canola oil
• 3 lemons, zested
• 16 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps wiped with a slightly damp cloth
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 beaten eggs
• 4 cups breadcrumbs
• 7 cups canola oil for frying
• 8 scallops, sliced in half, horizontally
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

1. FOR THE RELISH: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and add red onions; sweat until translucent, about 15 minutes.
2. Add orange peppers, chili, raisins, and currants and saute until peppers are soft, about 4-6 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and saute about 5-7 minutes, until all contents are soft through; season well with salt and pepper.
4. Add white wine and reduce until it's almost gone; taste and adjust seasoning; mix in the chives and reserve.
5. FOR THE LEMON BASIL OIL: In boiling water, blanch the basil and immediately submerge it in an ice bath (bowl with ice and water), to stop the cooking process; remove from water and dry well.
6. Heat 2 cups canola oil and add in lemon zest; cook until the oil is infused, about 6-8 minutes (dont let the lemon zest turn brown).
7. In a blender, blend the infused oil with the blanched basil; season well (you may need to add a bit of sugar, depending on your preference, as well as a few drops of lemon juice from one of the lemons).
8. FOR THE MUSHROOM CAPS: Bread shiitake caps by dipping in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs (shaking off any excess).
9. Heat 7 cups canola oil to 380 degrees and fry shiitake caps in batches (until just golden); remove from oil onto a towel lined tray and lightly salt right away; reserve.
10. FOR THE SCALLOPS: season the scallops and saute in olive oil until cooked through, about 1 minute per side.
11. ASSEMBLE: place one fried mushroom cap on a plate, top with scallop, top with relish, top with a bit of lemon-basil oil.
12. Optional: fry some basil leaves (in 350 degrees canola oil, for 15 seconds) and garnish on top of the dish.

olive oil, red onion, yellow peppers, green chili, raisins, currants, tomato concasse, white wine, chives, basil, canola oil, lemons, shiitake mushrooms, flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, canola oil, horizontally, olive oil, salt, pepper

Taken from food52.com/recipes/4121-seared-scallops-with-fried-shiitakes-and-a-sweet-relish-served-with-lemon-basil-oil (may not work)