SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE, CRISPY BACON, AND MINT OIL

Seared Scallops with Pea Purée, Crispy Bacon, and Mint Oil image

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 20

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For the pea purée
225 g (8 ounces) English garden peas, shelled weight
4 leaves of mint
salt and pepper
55 g (2 ounces) unsalted butter
For the scallops
6 slices good-quality streaky bacon, rind removed and cut into thirds
18 large king scallops (preferably Cornish), with muscle and roe removed
Maldon sea salt
Mild olive oil, for frying
For the mint oil
100 ml (3 1/2 fluid ounces) mild olive oil
3 large sprigs mint, stems removed
1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) caster (superfine) sugar
For the honey vinaigrette
100 ml (3 1/2 fluid ounces) light olive oil
15 ml (1 tablespoon) white wine vinegar
2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) runny honey
To serve
Salad leaves such as frisée or lamb's lettuce

Steps:

1. To make the mint oil, put all the ingredients in a blender and whizz. Chill for 2 hours to let the flavour develop, then strain.
2. Cook the peas with the mint in salted, boiling water until just tender but not soft. Drain and refresh in very cold water.
3. Purée the peas in a blender until very smooth, or push through a sieve.
4. Grill the bacon, put it on kitchen paper and keep warm.
5. Heat 2 large frying pans until very hot but not smoking. Season the scallops on both sides with sea salt. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) mild olive oil to each pan and then put in the scallops. They should sizzle. Cook each scallop for 45 seconds on each side, then remove from the pan and keep somewhere warm.
6. Whisk all the honey vinaigrette ingredients together.
7. Divide the pea purée between 6 warmed plates and place 3 pieces of bacon across each portion. Arrange 3 scallops around the purée and drizzle with the mint oil. Put some salad leaves dressed with honey vinaigrette on top.