3 tablespoons Pickled onion juice (or red wine vinegar)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Salt
1/2A medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup Apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Salt
2 tablespoons Toasted hazelnuts, crushed
5 Concord grapes
Roast the potatoes in tinfoil on 425F for 50 minutes until cooked through, soft but not falling apart. Lay the scallops out on a paper towel and keep covered to dry until ready to cook.
Make the pickled onions by simmering 1 cup of apple cider vinegar with 3 tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp salt for 5 minutes until dissolved. Let cool for 5 minutes and pour over thinly sliced red onion in a sealable container. Let sit for an hour before using to soak up flavor, keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Bring the lentils in salted water to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes until cooked through. Drain, well and drizzle with olive oil and 3 tbsp pickled red onion juice (see step 2) if using, or red wine vinegar.
While the potatoes and lentils are cooking, in a measuring cup stir together the glaze ingredients, balsamic, Calabrian chile oil, grainy mustard, and honey adjust as to your taste and and add a drizzle of water, should yield about ¼ to ⅓ cup.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and toast hazelnuts in the oven for 15 minutes until shades darker. Crush with between a cutting board and knife.
Pull the sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool until manageable to touch. Heat up a nonstick skillet over medium with 2 tbsp oil, rip the sweet potatoes into 1 inch pieces and place in a single layer right in the pan, sear on each side for a few minutes for crispy dark edges. Remove the pan from heat, wait a few seconds for it to cool down and pour the glaze into the pan, return the pan to low heat and toss or spoon the bubbling glaze over the sweet potatoes for 1 minute. Done.
Heat another skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium/high with 2 tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp olive oil, and whole sprig rosemary. Sprinkle the scallops with paprika. Once the butter is melted and HOT (do a test with a splash of water off your finger if it sizzles its ready) place the scallops evenly in the pan to sear for 2-3 minutes on each side. Done.
Place the sweet potato pieces and scallops on a plate, scatter and nestle the lentils around them. Top with crushed toasted hazelnuts, ripped in half grapes and pickled red onion.
