Scottish scallops are among my favourite ingredients.
The best come from the west coast and around Orkney. This week's recipe features a mousse made from a blend of pureed scallops and double cream. Once you've pureed the scallops make sure the puree and cream are chilled before you mix them together, otherwise you'll struggle to achieve a suitably smooth texture. You'll need a stovetop steamer and six ramekins. Cooking the leeks until tender with the stock leaves them tasting lovely and sweet, and pairing them with the scallop mousse and chervil butter sauce is a tremendous combination.
Scallop mousse with leeks and chervil butter sauce
Serves 6
Scallop mousse
200g scallop meat
A squeeze of lemon juice
2 egg whites
A small pinch of cayenne pepper
80ml double cream, cold
A pinch of salt
First, refrigerate all the ingredients for at least 1 hour before making the mousse.
Put the scallop meat in a food processor and blend for 1 minute, then add the lemon juice, egg whites and cayenne pepper and blend for a further 30 seconds until completely smooth. Transfer the mousse into a large metal bowl, seal with clingfilm and refrigerate. After 20 minutes, stir the cream gradually into the scallop mixture then add a pinch of salt.
Chervil butter sauce
40ml dry white wine
1tbsp white wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
5 crushed white peppercorns
50ml double cream
125g unsalted butter, cold and diced
A few drops of lemon juice
Salt
1tsp chopped fresh chives
Bring the wine, vinegar, shallot and peppercorns to the boil and reduce by half. Add the double cream and boil for 1 minute then lower the heat and gradually whisk in the butter. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, check the seasoning then pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Warm the sauce gently but do not boil it, as this will separate the sauce. Add the chives and store at room temperature until ready to use.
Braised leeks
1 leek, washed and trimmed
150ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 clove of garlic, peeled and halved
50g unsalted butter
1 small bunch of fresh chervil, chopped
Cut the white of the leek into 1cm dice then wash and drain the chopped leek before placing it in a wide pan with the stock, a pinch of salt and the garlic. Cook the leeks rapidly until the stock is well reduced and the leeks are just cooked (around 3-4 minutes boiling). Next add the butter and stir well. Once the butter and stock have emulsified remove the pan from the heat and finish with the chervil.
Final preparation and serving
20g soft butter
Brush the inside of each ramekin with the butter and refrigerate them for 10 minutes to set the butter.
Transfer the scallop mousse to a clean piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle, then fill each ramekin with the mousse to just below the rim. Cover each one with a small square of tinfoil, making sure it's tightly wrapped around the top. Place the ramekins in a hot steamer and cook for 10 minutes so the mousse firms up, then remove them and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Warm the leeks and place a spoonful in the centre of each warm plate, then ease the scallop mousse from the ramekins and place them on top of the leeks. Finish with a few spoonfuls of warm chervil butter sauce over the top.
WINE MATCH
NV Ruinart Brut Champagne (L'Art Du Vin, £35)
A superbly rounded champagne with aromas of fresh lemon and lime blossom combined with flavours of brioche.
The Honours, 58a North Castle Street, Edinburgh. Visit thehonours.co.uk or call 0131 220 2513.
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