Seared Sea Scallops

TO COOK THE SHELLING BEANS:
Put the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Strain and discard the solids. Return the vegetable water to the saucepan. Add the beans, bring to a boil, and skim off and discard the foam. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the beans are tender to the bite and no hard or chalky core remains. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of ice water. If you’re cooking more than one kind of bean, add them to the liquid, cook, scoop them out, and add to the ice water. When all the beans have been cooked, stir in salt until the water is well seasoned and return the beans to the pot of liquid (they will absorb flavor from the liquid). Refrigerate the beans in their cooking liquid for up to 4 days.

TO PREPARE THE PLATES:
Arrange the sliced lomo in a ring in the center of each of 4 dinner plates (leaving a space in the center). Set the plates aside.

TO COOK THE SCALLOPS:
Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat, add the oil, and heat for a few seconds more until it shimmers. Add the scallops and cook, turning once, for about 5 minutes total, or until golden brown on both sides. (The scallops should be 90 percent opaque on the inside.) Remove the pan from the heat.

TO PREPARE THE BEAN SALAD:
While the scallops are cooking, warm the beans. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and 2 tablespoons of their cooking liquid and warm though, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the Manchego cheese with the warm beans.

TO SERVE:
Mound the beans in the center of the arranged lomo. Place the scallops on top of the beans. Dust the perimeter of the plates with paprika and drizzle with some oil and sherry vinegar.