Serves 4
16 prepared Scallops in the shell
25g unsalted butter, melted
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the toasted Hazel nut and Coriander Butter:
20g unblanched hazelnuts
75g unsalted butter, softened
7g coriander leaves
2 tablespoons flat leafed parsley
7g shallot, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Preheat the grill to high.
- For the Hazelnut and coriander butter, spread the hazelnuts over a baking tray and toast under the grill for 4-5 minutes, shaking the tray now and then, until they are golden brown. Watch them carefully!
- Tip them into a clean tea towel and rub off the skins. Leave to cool, then chop them roughly and tip into a food processor. Add the softened butter with the coriander, parsley, shallot, lemon juice a good pinch of salt and some pepper and blend together until well mixed
- Put the prepared scallops in shell on to a large baking tray ( or do them in batches) and brush with the melted butter. Season with a little salt and pepper, then grill for 1½ minutes
- Drop a generous teaspoonful of the hazelnut and coriander butter on to each scallop and return to the grill for 1½ minutes until they are cooked through. Serve immediately
To prepare the scallops:
Hold the scallop in one hand, with the flat shell facing uppermost. Slide the blade of a sharp thin knife between the two shells. Keeping the blade of the knife flat against the top shell, feel for the ligament which joins the meat to the shell. Cut through it and lift off the top shell. Pull out the frilly ‘skirt’ and black stomach sac which surrounds the white meat and pink coral. Rinse away any sand from the shell. Slide the knife under the scallop meat, keeping the blade close to the shell and cut it away. Pull off and discard the small white ligament attached to the side of the scallop meat.
Alternatively, use the ready cut scallops, and request shells to serve