Scallops with Pistachio, Parsnip Creme and Crispy Prosciutto

We just spent a much-too-short weekend with our great friends Dave and Karena out in San Francisco. It was a great trip in many respects, but the highlight was certainly our trip to The French Laundry. This was formerly the world's number one restaurant, and its chef, Thomas Keller, is widely regarded as America's best chef.

This was Dave and Karena's first real "world-class" restaurant experience, and Vanessa and I had been DYING to get in there for awhile now. Needless to say (but I'll say anyway), it was absolutely amazing and is easily in the top 2 meals I have ever eaten. Here is some photographic proof...
Anyhow, we're back now in San Antonio in what is to be our last week here until we head up to Minnesota for a few weeks. We bough Marcus Wareing's "Nutmeg & Custard" before we left the UK and spied this recipe in it. Wonderful, rich flavors at work here... sweet parsnips, meaty scallops, salty prosciutto, a bit of spice from the curry powder. Vanessa's mom was a fan and so were we.
PARSNIP CREME
15 g unsalted butter
2 parsnip, peeled and diced
1 pinch curry powder
½ teaspoon table salt
150 milliliters whole milk
1 tablespoon honey

SCALLOPS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large scallops, roe removed
¼ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon table salt

FINISH
4 rashers prosciutto
25 g pistachio nuts

Place the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat. When melted, add the parsnips, curry powder and salt. Cook gradually, coloring slightly, for 10 minutes. Add the milk and honey, and allow to simmer very gently until cooked through. Blend and pass through a fine sieve.

To cook the scallops, heat the oil in a heavy-based non-stick pan. When smoking, season the scallops with the curry powder and salt, then place them in the hot oil. Cook evenly all over, obtaining a nice golden color.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F or the grill to high. Place the prosciutto on a baking tray and bake or grill until crispy. Slice finely.

To serve, place a spoonful of the hot parsnip puree on each plate and drag your spoon through. Slice each scallop into three and lay on each plate. Sprinkle with the pistachio crumb and prosciutto strips and serve immediately.