Scrummy Scallops

While I was home I was treated to some amazing food- courtesy of chef Mummy. My Dad on the way home popped into Halles De Rive, an indoor market in the centre of town. For the first time ever, we decided to cook scallops at home. Since this recipe was such a success, I thought I’d share it with you- it’s really surprisingly easy to do and a great treat/something to impress someone with.

What you need: Serves 3 people

-       Scallops (ask your local fishmonger the recommended amount for however many you’re cooking for- for a main I’d say between 5-6 scallops, for starter, about 3.)

-       3 handfuls of asparagus

-       3 handfuls of beans

-       1 lemon

-       1 pack of lardons (or a pack of back beacon, chopped up)

-       Little bit of butter

-       Little bit of oil

(As you may have guessed, when my family cooks we don’t use precise measurements!)

First things first in terms of prepping the Scallops is to remove the muscle that’s attached to them and the orange thingy, called a roe if they have it (the ones we cooked with didn’t, but lots do- it’s edible, but apparently an acquired taste). They should just look like short fat cylinders now.

This is quite a quick recipe, because everything is either fried or steamed. It worth having everything prepped and ready to go before you actually cook anything.

So, we had our scallops with greens- asparagus and green beans. Top and tail the beans and get rid of the woody stalks of the asparagus

and they’re ready to be boiled/steamed. Might as well get the kettle boiling at this point (especially if like us your kettle takes an age for anything more than a cup of tea’s worth of water). I also quartered a lemon at this point to have ready as a garnish.

Scallops taste great with smoky flavours, so first up we fried some lardons (it’s chopped up bacon bits- conventional back bacon is nigh impossible to get in Swiss supermarkets). Once those are cooked, put them aside in a warm (no hotter than 60 degrees) oven on a plate with some kitchen roll). Next it was getting the veg on- aspagagus in the kettle and beans on the boil.

When your veg are a minute away from done, or even already cooked, drained and back in their pans to keep warm it’s time to cook the scallops. Drizzle a little bit of oil and butter and heat it (but not too much because you don’t want the butter to burn). Next its time to pop your scallops on and fry on one side for 30 seconds, until the side touching the pan is golden-brown.

Key tip: place your scallops around the frying pan at the points of a clock face so you can turn them in the same order they were placed in the pan. Makes sure that each and every one is cooked perfectly!

Flip over for another 30 seconds- and at this point we kept them on for 10 seconds longer for those that needed it. Serve immediately on the plate with greens and then sprinkle with lardons. Squeeze some lemon and a touch of pepper and it’s an amazingly filling yet light springtime dish.

 

This could, of course be better presented- but it's so yummy! 

Hope you enjoy!