For an elegant starter that looks like something served at a top restaurant, try out this wonderful scallop recipe, served with a deliciously autumnal cauliflower and hazelnut pureé and topped with decadent caviar.
Ingredients:
½ cauliflower, cut into small florets
100g butter
50g hazelnuts
4 large scallops
2 tbsp olive oil
100ml skimmed milk
1 tbsp honey
50ml cider
1 egg
Salt and pepper
2 tsp caviar
Method:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the cauliflower and simmer for 15 minutes or until the cauliflower has softened. Drain in a colander.
Heat 25g of butter in a pan until foamy, add the hazelnuts and cauliflower and toss in the butter for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the mixture into a food processor and pulse with an extra 50g of butter until smooth. Season well and keep warm aside.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk and honey to 60 degrees.
Rub the scallops with olive oil. Sear the scallops in a second pan, over a high heat for 1 minute on each side. Add the rest of the butter and continue coating the scallops for 30 seconds.
Remove from the heat once the butter is frothy and place the scallops on some kitchen paper to remove the excess oil.
Add the egg and cider to the warm milk and blitz with a hand blender to create foam.
In each serving dish, spoon a dollop of the cauliflower puree and then add the scallop. Top the scallop with caviar and some micro-greens. Whizz up the foam again and spoon over the scallops.
Serve immediately