Rialto Restaurant in Cambridge serves seared scallops with a potato cake, hazelnuts, and cider cream.
(Globe Photo / Aram Boghosian)
Serves 4
To skin hazelnuts, toast them on a rimmed baking sheet in a 375 degree oven for 8 minutes or until they smell fragrant. Then rub them in an old towel (this makes a mess), until the skins fall off.
| 1 1/2 | cups hard apple cider |
| 1/2 | cup creme fraiche |
| Salt and pepper, to taste | |
| 1 1/4 | pounds fresh sea scallops |
| 1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
| 1 | cup skinned hazelnuts, roughly chopped |
1. In a saucepan bring the cider to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until it reduces by half. It should have the consistency of a syrupy glaze.
2. Stir in the creme fraiche, salt, and pepper.
3. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
4. In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add the scallops. Sear for 2 minutes on each side or until they have a rich golden crust. Remove the scallops from the pan and arrange on 4 dinner plates.
5. Spoon some of the apple-cider sauce over each one and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Adapted from Rialto
Notes: 
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