Scallops with pea and mint purée

Name: Scallops with pea and mint purée
Total time: 20 min
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: frozen peas 250g; butter; chicken stock fresh, made up to 100ml; mint a small bunch, roughly chopped; scallops 12; ground cumin ½ tsp; sunflower oil; winter salad leaves to serve; balsamic vinegar

20 minutes
serves 4
Easy

This makes a really quick but impressive looking starter. The pea purée is quite soft, so it doubles up as a sauce. You can make the pea purée before your guests arrive and then the scallops, which are flavoured with only a little cumin and salt, take just minutes to cook.

March 25, 2015 at 4:07 pm

Ingredients

frozen peas 250g
butter
chicken stock fresh, made up to 100ml
mint a small bunch, roughly chopped
scallops 12
ground cumin ½ tsp
sunflower oil
winter salad leaves to serve
balsamic vinegar

Method

Step 1

Put the peas, 25g butter and stock in a pan and season well. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes (you want the peas to stay bright green) then put in a food processor or blender with the mint and whizz to a purée. Put back in the pan and keep warm.
Step 2

Season the scallops with a little cumin and salt. Heat a non-stick frying pan to very hot with a little oil and butter. Sear the scallops for about 1 minute each side (you want a nice caramelised colour on them). Serve 3 scallops per person on a bed of the pea purée with a few leaves dressed with balsamic.