Pan-Fried Scallops with Black Pudding, Bacon, Colcannon, and Marsala Sauce

Peel the potatoes using a vegetable peeler and cut into uniform 3 cm chunks.

Place potato chunks into the large saucepan, cover with cold water by 2 cm, add 4 g of fine sea salt, and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.

Pour the cooked potatoes into a colander to drain thoroughly, leaving them to steam dry in the colander for 3 minutes.

Pass the warm drained potatoes through the potato ricer back into the warm, dry large saucepan.

In the small saucepan, combine whole milk, 30 g unsalted butter, shredded savoy cabbage, and sliced scallions over medium heat at 85°C (185°F) for 5 minutes until tender.

Fold the hot cabbage and milk mixture along with remaining 30 g unsalted butter, 2 g fine sea salt, and ground white pepper into the riced potatoes until glossy and uniform, then cover to keep warm.

Remove the rectangular side muscle from each scallop, then press the scallops firmly between double layers of paper towels to absorb all surface moisture.

Place the heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the diced bacon lardons, and cook for 6 minutes until browned and crispy.

Transfer the crispy bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.

Increase heat to medium-high at 180°C (356°F), place the black pudding rounds into the bacon fat, and sear for 2 minutes per side until a crust forms.

Transfer the seared black pudding rounds to the warm holding plate alongside the bacon.

Season both flat sides of the dry sea scallops evenly with 2 g fine sea salt and 1 g ground black pepper immediately before searing.

Add neutral cooking oil to the same skillet over high heat until shimmering at 200°C (392°F), place scallops flat-side down with at least 2 cm space between them, and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes.

Flip the scallops using tongs, add 15 g unsalted butter to the pan, baste the tops with foaming butter for 1 minute until internal temperature registers 63°C (145°F) on a digital instant-read thermometer, then immediately transfer scallops to a warm plate.

Pour excess fat from the skillet leaving a thin coating, reduce heat to medium, add minced shallot, and cook for 1 minute until translucent.

Pour dry Marsala wine into the skillet, scraping up all caramelized fond from the bottom with a wooden spoon or spatula, and simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half.

Add low-sodium chicken stock and fresh thyme sprigs to the skillet, boiling gently over medium-high heat for 3 minutes until reduced by half to roughly 60 ml.

Discard the thyme sprigs, remove skillet completely from heat, and whisk in the 30 g of cold cubed unsalted butter one piece at a time until completely emulsified into a glossy sauce.

Spoon a generous mound of warm colcannon in the center of 4 warmed shallow bowls, arrange 2 slices of warm black pudding and 3 seared sea scallops around or atop the mash, scatter crispy bacon lardons over top, and spoon the warm Marsala glaze around the perimeter and over the scallops to serve immediately.