Barra Scallops Amoleh, black rice peperonata, BlinQ blossom, salad peas, emerald algae beurre blanc

Serves 4

Description:

Hand dived Isle of Barra Scallops with Amoleh sea salt, braised black rice in peperonata, garnished with salad peas and blinQ blossoms, finished with emerald algae beurre blanc

Ingredients:

• 6x Barra scallops, out of shell and cleaned
• Pinch Amoleh salt or Maldon flakes
• Pinch cracked black pepper
• Pinch dried and ground Melissa cress and dill
• 30g unsalted butter
• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2x plum vine tomatoes
• 1x clove garlic
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch sea salt
• Pinch black pepper coarse
• 8 sprigs Melissa cress
• 1x lemon zest
• ½ cup black rice
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1x bay leaf
• ½ red pepper
• ½ yellow pepper
• ¼ green pepper
• ½ red onion
• 1 tsp baby capers
• 2x charred baby artichokes or Jerusalem artichokes
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Pinches Sea salt
• Pinches black pepper coarse
• 1 tbs Melissa cress chopped
• ½ shallot torpedo
• 4 tbs chardonnay white wine
• 2 tbs vegetable stock
• 120 ml double cream
• 50g butter
• ¼ tsp emerald algae powder
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 12x blinQ blossoms
• 12x salad pea leafs

Method:

In advance:

Slice scallops lengthwise in half, sit on absorbent paper towel and chill till needed.

Confit tomatoes – blanch and peel, halve, then de-seed and dry.

Place on greaseproof paper with little olive oil, Melissa cress, garlic and lemon zest

Confit in oven at 120°C till ready, approx. 60 minutes.

Step 1: Black rice peperonata

Wash and then boil black rice for 18 minutes in very light vegetable stock infused with salad pea stalks and bay leaf.

Char or blowtorch pepper skin till black and then flake off.

Dice peppers and set aside

Chargrill or blowtorch pre-cooked artichokes, flavour with lemon and olive oil

If using Jerusalem artichokes, wash, peel and rough dice these, then sauté in warm pan till well browned and cooked, using olive oil.

In separate warm pan, sauteé diced red onion, then add diced grilled peppers, followed by drained rice.

Add artichokes, season, and adjust consistency with olive oil

Just prior to plating up, add chopped tomato confit, capers and Melissa cress

Step 2: Beurre blanc

In saucepan, reduce diced shallot and vegetable stock by half liquid.

Add white wine, lemon juice and reduce till almost dry.

Add cream, bring to boil, then reduce by simmering till half.

On very low heat, slowly whisk in diced butter bit by bit.

Lightly season, then just before serving, add algae powder and check / adjust seasoning.

Step 3: Cooking

Season scallops and dust with finely chopped dill and Melissa cress.

In lightly oiled medium hot pan, add scallops sliced side down, and brown, then flip.

Cook for another 30 seconds, then turn off heat, and add butter to pan and glaze scallops.

Rest for 1 minute in pan.

Ensure rice is piping hot, then ready for plating up.

Step 4: Finishing off and plating

Centre bowl, spoon rice. Followed by 3x scallop halves and beurre blanc.

Garnish with blinQ blossoms and salad peas and serve