Vegan King Oyster Mushroom Scallops with Truffle Pea Purée

With the holiday season coming, thanksgiving, Christmas, then new year one after another. I think we all deserve a little something fancy, BUT still secretively easy! These vegan "scallops" are made of king oyster mushrooms, simply marinated with easy-to-get ingredients, then pan-seared for that beautiful golden brown color and crispy edges.

Having gone vegan overnight and cut out all animal products from my diet all at once, I can honestly say I've never once missed meat or dairy, BUT seafood, oh boi seafood is the one thing that gets me "nostalgic". I grew up right by the ocean and so far have spent over two-thirds of my life in seaside cities. The taste of the ocean carries much more than just flavors for me, but also memories and sentimental ties.

That's not to romanticize the consumption of seafood, which is in fact depleting our ocean and destroying the ocean ecosystem, however, I can't choose the world and culture I was born into nor the food I grew up with. What I CAN do, now having learned more about our dire impact on the planet shared by not just humans, is to recreate those familiar flavors with plants.

And as an ocean child myself, I can promise you the flavors of these mushroom "scallops" were unreal! King oyster mushrooms, or king trumpet mushrooms resemble the texture of scallops perfectly, smooth, chewy, and savory, and after soaking up all the flavors from the marinade - dare I say they taste even better than the real thing?!

I served them on a bed of truffle sweat pea pureé for another layer of texture and a hint of sweetness. Watch the video below for a visual guide and please tag me on Instagram and Tiktok if you try this recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

Vegan Scallops -
5 - 6 large king oyster mushrooms
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon white miso paste

1 nori sheet, shredded

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoon tamari/soy sauce

2 tablespoon coconut amino
2 tablespoon flaxseed oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Truffle Pea Purée -
3/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1/4 cup silken tofu

1teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoon truffle oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon white miso

1 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup or vegan apple honey

Salt and pepper to taste

TO MAKE:

- Slice the mushroom crosswise into 1" thick rounds. Score the tops and bottoms of each "scallop" with a criss-cross pattern;

- In a large air-tight container with a lid, whisk together the marinade ingredients, make sure the miso paste dissolves completely in the warm water;

- Transfer all the mushroom slices to the liquid mixture, close the lid and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours;

- When ready to cook, heat a large drizzle of oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, take out the mushrooms and shake off any excess liquid, this is to prevent too much splashing in the hot oil;

- Pan sear the mushrooms until the edges get a nice, golden brown color, about 4-5 minutes per side;

- Meanwhile, in a food processor, add all the truffle pea puree ingredients and blend until completely smooth. Set aside;

- Spread some truffle pea puree on the plate, place on the mushroom scallops, you can also sprinkle on some pomegranate seeds;

- Enjoy!

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VEGAN BUNNY CHEF

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