It’s a bit decadent but it is Christmas after all and Scotland does have the best scallops in the world!
So why not try making these spicy scallops as a treat for your family this Christmas. You won’t regret it.
Blood Bay scallops with lemon Gallet and Asian pesto
To make the Asian pesto you will need
50g of grated parmesan
50g of cashew nuts
30g of fresh coriander
10g of fresh mint
10g of fresh tarragon
1 red chilli
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of lime juice
6 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of sesame oil
Sea salt
White pepper
1 Blend the lime, oil and nuts together
2 Add the garlic and cheese and blend again
3 Blend in the herbs, salt and pepper and place the mixture in the fridge
To make the dish you will need
12 diver caught scallops, shucked and roes removed
3 large waxy potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into 1x5 inch pieces
The juice of 3 lemons
2 red chilies, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1 small red onion, diced
5g of pomegranate seeds
10g of tarragon
5g of coriander
250ml of strong fish stock
1 tomato compote (500g of peeled plum tomatoes cooked slowly to a pulp with 200g of butter and caster sugar to taste. Add a bit of ketchup at the end.)
200g of Garam flour
Vegetable oil
Salt
1 Slice each scallop in half across the middle and place in the fridge
2 Mix the fish stock, garlic, onion, chilli, lemon juice and seeds in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer then add the potatoes and cook until just done.
3 Drain and discard the liquor but keep everything else
4 Mix the Garam flour with the chopped herbs and some seasoning then add water to make a thick batter
5 Add the potato mix to the thick batter
6 In a heavy frying pan heat up 1tablespoon of oil until it sizzles then place a cutter (7” wide) in the pan
7 In the cutter place a couple of spoonfuls of the batter then move the cutter away and do the same thing again until you have 4 rounds
8 Cook the rounds until they are golden brown then turn them over and do the same
9 Lift out the rounds out of the pan and drain them on a piece of kitchen roll. Keep them warm.
10 Warm up the tomato compote in a pan
11 Heat up a non-stick frying pan. Add the oil and, when it starts to smoke, place the scallops in the pan and cook until they are golden brown on one side only (they will keep cooking when on the Gallet).
12 To plate, place a Gallet on a hot plate, pop on some compote on it then arrange the scallops around this. Put some more compote around the Gallet, then spoon round the pesto and serve.
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