Capesante con Caviale e Burro alle Alghe e Salicornia

Capesante con Caviale e Burro alle Alghe e Salicornia is a refined seafood dish that pairs seared scallops with seaweed butter, caviar, and samphire (salicornia). The dish exemplifies the coastal cuisine of Brittany, where seaweed and sea vegetables are traditional pantry staples, and draws on Italian technique in its preparation of capesante (scallops).

Key ingredients include large diver scallops, high-quality caviar, a compound butter infused with dried or fresh seaweed, and salicornia—a succulent, salt-tolerant plant that grows in coastal salt marshes. A great version is distinguished by the perfect caramelization of the scallops, achieved through high heat and minimal handling, and a balanced salinity where the briny caviar and samphire complement rather than overpower the sweet scallop meat. The seaweed butter should be emulsified into a light sauce or melted just before serving to coat the scallops without greasiness.

The dish is notably served at **Autour du Beurre** in Saint-Malo, France, as highlighted by the food guide *Where The Foodies Go*. The venue’s location in Brittany, a region famous for its seaweed harvesting and dairy, directly informs the dish’s identity. Regional variations might substitute local sea vegetables like sea aster or glasswort for samphire, or use trout roe instead of caviar for a more accessible brininess. In coastal Italy, a similar preparation might employ bottarga (cured fish roe) in place of caviar, while maintaining the seaweed butter as the unifying element.