"Please only ever buy hand-dived scallops. If they are cheap they are probably dredged which devastates the ocean floor. You only really need 2 or 3 of these each, as they are huge, sweet and tender. This recipe is a bit retro, but it’s simple and it works." 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 

Allow 3 scallops per person

2 large garlic cloves, bashed, peeled and chopped quite finely

150g unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons of freshly-chopped curly parsley

Zest and juice of 1 very large organic lemon

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Keep the scallops in the shell - ask your fishmonger to do this for you, and leave the orange coral on too.

To make the butter, add the chopped garlic to the melted butter and add some fine zest of lemon and season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley and mix.

You can fry the scallops in a hot pan with a little rapeseed oil, one at a time, but I prefer to spoon on the garlic butter on to each scallop in the shell and place under a very hot, pre-heated grill or the top shelf of a very hot oven (250°C) until they are golden brown but not over-cooked.

Serve in the shells with a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of good salt and a lemon wedge. Eat at once.