“I adore the aromas when the shell cracks and splutters with the heat from the grill. An impressive dish to serve to guests (when it is safe to have them round), but an equally good treat to cheer us up. Lashings of garlic butter with scallops always works, and a good white wine like an Albarino is a great match.”

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

Allow 3 or 4 scallops per person and leave the coral on (the orange bit). I buy my scallops from The Ethical Shellfish Company.

100ml white wine

100ml cider vinegar

1 sprig of thyme

A few peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 shallot, peeled and roughly sliced

1 tablespoon double cream

125g cold, unsalted butter, diced into small cubes

Good salt and pepper

1 lemon for squeezing

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

12 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

METHOD

Firstly, to make a reduction for the sauce, add the shallots, peppercorns, bay leaf, wine, vinegar and thyme to a small pot and bring to the boil. Reduce by two thirds then pass through a sieve into a clean pot and bring to the boil again and reduce by half.

To make the sauce, add the cream to the reduction and gently bring to the boil. Then slowly add the cubes of butter, a few at a time, and start to emulsify the sauce by using a swirling technique with your spoon or whisk. Don't let the mixture get too hot or too cold as it will split.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper, and a hint of lemon juice then add the chopped chives, Set to one side in a warm place.

To cook the scallops, place a frying pan on the hob taking it to a high temperature. Add a splash of cold-pressed rapeseed oil, and ensuring they are dry, add the scallops to the hot oil in the pan.

Cook the scallops on both sides for a minute or two until golden brown. Don't over-cook them or they will become like rubber balls. Remove them from the pan and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Place onto warmed plates and drizzle over the chive butter sauce. Serve at once.