Recipe: Scallops with oriental salad

Published on Friday 20 November 2009 15:54

A sharp knife and a little know-how are all you need to prepare scallops.

Then it's just a case of sear and serve

THIS gorgeous starter is fit for any occasion. It's bursting with lovely exotic flavours – chilli, sesame and lime – and contrasting textures, yet is characterised by fabulously plump, yielding scallops that will convince the most hardened seafood sceptic.

Like all shellfish, scallops are at their best when fresh. The only way to ensure this is to buy them in their shells and shuck them at home. Order them in advance from the fishmonger. They must be alive when you shuck them, so give them a tap to make sure they start to close up. And don't forget to smell. Stick your nose in for a good sniff, discarding any with a suspiciously fishy pong. King scallops are what you need here, not queen, which are much smaller.

Scallops with oriental salad

Serves four

For the scallops

12 fresh large scallops in their shells (see below for how to shuck them)

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Maldon sea salt

For the salad

1 small carrot, topped, tailed and peeled

4 spring onions, topped and tailed

1 small, ripe mango

50g mange tout, shredded

50g fresh bean sprouts

handful of fresh coriander, washed

200g mixed small salad leaves, such as mizuna, watercress or lamb's lettuce, washed

50g cashew nuts, roughly chopped

1 red chilli, halved, seeded and finely shredded

For the sweet chilli dressing

4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar

2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

4 tbsp light sesame oil

A squeeze of lime juice

First make the salad. Fill a large bowl with cold water and add a few ice cubes. When chilled, use a potato peeler to shave long, thin strips off the carrot. Add these to the water. Cut the spring onions into long shreds and also place these in the bowl. Put the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the vegetables to firm up and curl. Then drain in a colander and pat the veg dry on some kitchen paper. Place into a large bowl and set aside.

Place the mango on a chopping board and cut a thin slice off the bottom. This will make it easier to sit the mango upright on the board without it toppling over. Now, peel away the skin using a sharp knife or, if it's not too ripe, you could use a potato peeler. You will now have a skinless mango.

Cut down through the mango vertically on either side of the stone, which runs lengthways. Slice off any remaining flesh from the stone and cut all the flesh into long, thin slices.

Place these into the bowl with the carrot and spring onion. Add the mange tout, bean sprouts, coriander, salad leaves, cashew nuts and chilli and lightly toss together with your hands. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. (Remember to wash your hands well after handling the chilli).

For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl or squeezy pouring bottle and set aside.

To shuck a scallop, hold the shell with the hinged end secured in the join between your thumb and forefinger (if you are right handed, hold the shell in your left and vice versa). Rest the crinkly side on a tea towel so it doesn't slip. Insert the knife into the side of the shell close to the hinge where there is a natural gap. Press the knife against the inside of the flat shell and sweep the blade across from top to the bottom to cut through the muscle holding the shell in place. Then open the flat shell back and twist it off. The scallop will be sitting in the curved shell. Hold this flat in your hand and use a spoon to loosen the contents from the shell. Hold these contents and use your thumb to run back and forth to break the connection between the connecting parts and the white muscle, which is the eating part. When loosened you will be able to push the white meat up, which will pop the meat out from its skirt. Pull away the skirt and the rest of the debris, leaving the white meat in your hand. Place it in a bowl while you shuck the others. Wash the meat for no more than 30 seconds and pat with kitchen paper so that it's completely dry.

Heat a frying pan until hot. Add 2 tbsp of sunflower oil to heat. Lay the scallops in the pan. Sear for 45 seconds without moving them, or you won't achieve a good caramelised crust. Use tongs to turn them over and cook for another 30 seconds. Flip them back over and cook for a further 30 seconds on the first side, then remove them from the pan. Season with a little salt.

Divide the scallops between four warm plates so that the most caramelised side is uppermost (you can slice them through the middle if you wish to make it look like more). Toss the salad with 2 tbsp of dressing then place a mound beside the scallops. Drizzle round a little more dressing and an extra squeeze of lime if you want.

Critical points

Slicing the bottom off the mango makes it a lot easier to peel, saving you slipping about in a fleshy, juicy mess. The mango will then sit up on a board and you peel down from the top. You need a really sharp knife for the best results. A peeler will only work on a slightly under-ripe mango – and a ripe one will taste much better. An old-fashioned peeler works well for making the carrot slices. Texture is really important in this salad, so go for the thinnest strips you can.

Cooking the scallops is all about having a happy pan. Heat it well before adding the oil, then hold your hand over the oil to make sure it's good and hot before placing in the scallops. Once in, leave for 45 seconds before touching them, then merely flip over using tongs. If you try to turn them too early they won't have caramelised and the scallop will stick to the pan. If you have good fat scallops and want to slice them, don't do it before cooking. You want a caramelised crust but a soft texture inside.

• This article was first published in Scotland on Sunday on 22 November 2009.