Looking to impress? Well, it doesn’t get much simpler than this. In less than 10 minutes you can create a stunning starter with a handful of ingredients. The pea puree is made with frozen peas that are cooked for just a few minutes to keep their lovely bright green colour and flavoured with fresh chopped mint.
Scallops are quite pricey to buy, but they are well worth the price tag (you can buy good frozen ones from M&S too). You can buy them with or without the roe which is the orange crescent attached to the scallop and it has a lovely delicate flavour. 3 scallops per person is ideal.
It’s this easy
For 4 people, put 250g frozen peas in 100ml chicken or vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add a small bunch of roughly chopped fresh mint and use a stick blender to whizz to a puree. Season and keep warm while you cook the scallops.
Heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil and a knob of butter in a large frying pan until the butter starts to froth. Add 12 thin rashers of pancetta or thin strips of Parma Ham and fry until golden. Remove from the pan, add 12 scallops and fry over a high heat for about 1 minute on each side until just cooked through.
Place 3 little mounds of pea puree on 4 plates and top with the scallops and Parma Ham. Voila!
Styled on Polka Dot Powder Blue oilcloth.