Directions

1. Bring a stockpot of water to a boil over high heat; add salt. Add the potatoes, and cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes. Cut potatoes into 1/3-inch-thick rounds, and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
2. Bring a stockpot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat; prepare an ice-water bath. Trim bottoms from brussels sprouts. Peel away the inner leaves, one by one. Add carrot to boiling water, and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer carrot to bowl with the potatoes.
3. Add the leaves of the brussels sprouts to the boiling water, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer leaves to the ice-water bath to stop the cooking process. Drain in a colander, and add leaves to bowl with carrots and potatoes.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add cream, and return to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, reduce heat to low, and whisk in butter, piece by piece.
5. Add the reserved potatoes, carrots, and brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are heated through, and keep the vegetable ragout warm.
6. In a 12-inch nonstick saute pan, heat oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Cook scallops until golden brown on bottoms, about 3 minutes. Using kitchen tongs, turn scallops; reduce heat to medium. Cook scallops until other sides have browned, but are still rare inside, about 2 minutes.
7. Reserving 1 cup vegetable ragout, divide equal amounts of the remaining ragout among four warm dinner plates. Arrange 3 scallops on top, then top each with 1/4 cup reserved ragout. Spoon the scallop-butter sauce around the plates, and sprinkle with chives. Garnish each dish with equal amounts of caviar, and serve immediately.