Roast Orkney Scallops with Slow Cooked Pumpkin, Hazelnuts, Citrus Dressing & Red Chicory Salad
Serves 4
For the scallops
12 hand dived king scallops
1 tbsp butter and some fresh lemon juice
Heat oil in a large heavy based frying pan till very hot. Starting at 12 o’clock, working clockwise, place scallops into the pan. After 1 min begin turning the scallops - they should be nicely caramelised on one side. After another minute add large tablespoon of butter. Cook for 30 seconds, and as the butter caramelises, add good squeeze of lemon. Remove scallops from the pan.
For the slow-roasted pumpkin
1 Iron bark pumpkin or buttercup pumpkin
Olive oil
1 smashed garlic clove, 1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary, 1 sprig fresh thyme
Pinch Salt & Pepper
Heat the oven to 140/150°C. Slice pumpkin horizontally and remove seeds and soft flesh. Dress insides with good splash of olive oil, smashed garlic, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, good pinch of salt and pepper, then wrap in tin foil and bake for around 2 hours.
For the pumpkin puree
½ the slow-roasted pumpkin and 100ml double cream
For the hazelnut dressing
100g hazelnuts and 50ml hazelnut oil
Roast hazelnuts, crush, season with salt and dress with hazelnut oil.
For the chicory salad with citrus dressing
2 lemons & 2 limes, juiced and zested
2 oranges, juiced and zested
6 banana shallots, finely diced
100ml olive oil
1 smashed garlic clove
2 heads of red chicory
Add the diced shallots to a saucepan, and soften in a little olive oil. Add all the juices and the garlic clove, and reduce the liquid by half. Finish with zest and rest of olive oil. Sweeten with small pinch of sugar. Dress the chicory to complete the salad. When ready to serve, plate all of the elements.
Recipe supplied by Daniel Fletcher, Head Chef at Fenchurch Restaurant, Sky Garden (which is operated by rhubarb)