PAN FRIED SCALLOPS

15th December 2016

Michelin-starred chef Martin Wishart brings Mediterranean dining to our tables combining sweet and sharp flavours to create a warming taste sensation to impress even the most discerning food palate.

Integral to this dish is a good tapenade. Tapenade is a Provençale purée of black olives and anchovies in olive oil. Sometimes other ingredients are added. It is great to use as a spread or dip, or to fill hard-boiled eggs and hollowed out cucumber with. I always use freshly made tapenade but you can find it ready made in most supermarkets nowadays.

I often use tapenade in the Restaurant.  I like to combine it with scallops: the sweetness of the scallops, the sharpness of the tapenade and the texture of the crust, all bring different sensations to your palate.  Tapenade also complements a rabbit dish that I often serve in the Restaurant.

Scotland has the most beautiful scallops, I always use hand dived scallops at the Restaurant and they must be delivered alive. This way the scallops will be at their most flavoursome.

The ratatouille has lovely flavours: the sweetness of the red peppers heightens the sweetness of the scallops.  I find it is best to cook all the vegetables for the ratatouille separately, and just bring them all together towards the end.

PAN FRIED SCALLOPS WITH BLACK OLIVE CRUST AND RATATOUILLE
Serves 4

You will need

For the tapenade crust
200g dried breadcrumbs
190g unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
80g gruyere, grated
4 tbsp dry tapenade

For the ratatouille
6 tbsp tomato fondue
2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
3 courgettes
Olive oil for frying
3 small sprigs rosemary

For the scallops
12 hand-dived scallops in the shell
12 discs tapenade crust

Directions for the tapenade crust
Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until they are evenly combined.
Roll the dough between two layers of cling film to a thickness of 3mm. Place the crust on a flat tray and into the fridge for a couple of hours to set firm.
When the crust has set it can be cut with round pastry cutters into discs the same size as the scallops.

Directions for the ratatouille
Peel the peppers and cut the flesh into 5mm dice.
Cut 1cm strips lengthways from the courgettes and then cut these into 1cm dice as well.
Fry the vegetables in separate pans in a thin layer of olive oil with a pinch of salt and a sprig of rosemary until they are cooked through. Transfer the vegetables to a tray and set aside to cool down.
To finish, mix the vegetables in a pan with the tomato fondue and warm through gently.

Directions for the scallops
Remove the scallops from the shell and discard the skirt and the orange roe. Wash and dry the scallops on a clean towel.
Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick pan. Season the scallops with a little salt and pan fry in the oil until golden brown on each side and just under-cooked.
Place a disc of the olive crust on top of each scallop and place them onto a tray under a hot grill until the crust is cooked and crisp.
Spoon a little ratatouille onto each plate and place the scallops on top, serve immediately.

Visit Restaurant Martin Wishart in Leith, The Honours in Edinburgh and Glasgow and Martin Wishart at Cameron House

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