Christmas Cooking: Tom Kitchin’s Baked Scallops

Words Tom Kitchin

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 scallops per person or 3 x ½
• 100g puff pastry
• 2 egg yolks

White wine sauce: 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 100g shallots, sliced
• 250ml Noilly Prat vermouth
• 250ml fish stock
• 250ml whipping cream
• Salt and pepper
• ½ tablespoon grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill

METHOD:

Preparing the white wine sauce:

1
Heat a heavy-bottomed pan on top of the stove and add the oil.

2
Sweat the shallots gently for 3-4 minutes.

3
Add the Noilly Prat and the fish stock and continue to cook until the mixture is reduced and has a syrupy consistency.
4
Add the cream, bring back to the boil and reduce again slightly.

5
Season with salt and pepper, then pass through a strainer or a sieve.

6
Add the grain mustard and the chopped dill

Preparing the scallops:

1
Slip a thin sharp knife between the shells and cut through the large white muscle tab to release one side of the shell
2
Pry open the shell and pull everything out

3

Using a spoon, neatly scoop and the meat.

4
Separate the white meat from the skirt and roe (the skirt and roe can be kept for making sauces and they freeze well).
5
Rinse the scallops and keep them in the fridge on a paper towel. Rinse the shells and pat them dry.

ASSEMBLING THE DISH:

1
Sweat the carrot and leek in the oil over a low heat. Season and cook until they are soft but not browned – allow to cool.
2
Take 4 washed shells and divide the leeks and carrots between them.

3
Cut the scallops in half through the middle, season and place four pieces on each shell.

4
Cover with 3 tablespoons of white wine sauce and top with the other shells.

5
Preheat the oven to 200°C.

6
Roll out the puff pastry and cut into thin strips. Place a pastry strip around each scallop to seal the two shells together.

7
Using your fingers, gently press the pastry in place to ensure that the seal is tight and there are no holes.

8
Brush with egg yolk and cook in the hot oven for 10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

SERVE:

1
Remove the scallop shells from the oven and run a sharp knife all the way around the outer crust.

2
Serve on a bed of seaweed or some rock salt mixed with a little water to stop the shells rocking about. Let your guests open the shells themselves.