Starter:
This week it's a celebration of the ocean and all the treasures that live in it. Kicking off with scallops, we don't eat them too often here in England, but when they are on a restaurant menu we go crazy for them.
I like scallops seared in a pan for that lovely flavour, then there's a million different variations on what to serve them with. As we are starting to get towards spring we are going to be seeing more peas.
I've chosen a spring pea, mint and lemon purée finished with a drizzle of mint and chilli oil. A quick and simple way to serve that looks great and will go down great with your guests.
Serves 2 people
Preparation time 30 minutes
Ingredients: 150g frozen peas
35g mint
1 lemon
1 chilli
10g broccoli
50ml extra Virgin olive oil
2g clear runny honey
Method for the pea purée:
Boil the kettle and pour onto the frozen peas, you don't want to cook them just thaw them out and get the lovely green colour from them.
Place in a food processor with 25g picked mint And 25ml olive oil.
Whizz to a smooth purée.
Season and add lemon juice to taste. Add mint and chilli oil.
Finely chop the remaining mint leaves.
Slice the chilli in half, then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and scrape out the flesh of the chilli so you are left with almost just the skin.
Slice thinly long ways, then into a fine dice and add to the chopped mint along with the remaining olive oil.
Method for the Scallops: Heat a pan and add a splash of oil, ensure the pan is very hot.
Season the scallops and place them in the pan presentation side down.
Leave for 2-3 minutes, until they are golden brown. Turn over for another 2 minutes.
While they are cooking, pour boiling water into the small broccoli florets to get the colour from them.
Spoon the pea purée onto your serving plate.
Place scallops on top.
Drizzle with the chilli and mint oil.
Place broccoli florets around the outside.
Drizzle clear runny honey into the scallops.
Serve.
Main course:
I've also gone and written a fish stew recipe, great to warm you up in the winter but also goes down a treat in the warmer months. Chunks of fish cooked up in a tomato broth with fennel and onion. It's simple to prepare and cook, give it a go.
Serves 4 people
Preparation time 1 hour
Ingredients: 400g fish (any fish)
16 mussels
100g fennel
100g red onion
20g chilli
20g garlic
60g flat leaf parsley
2 lemons
600g tomato passata
4 chunks of crusty bread
Paprika
Method: Thinly slice the fennel, red onion, chilli and garlic.
Drizzle some oil into a saucepan and add your fennel, onion, chilli and garlic.
Fry for 2 minutes to release the flavours.
Add the tomato passata.
Cut your fish into small chunks, when the sauce is simmering throw the fish in.
Leave for 5-6 minutes before adding your mussels in.
Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the mussels are open, discard any open shells.
Finely chop the parsley and throw it in, add the juice of 2 lemons.
Taste for seasoning.
Toast your bread, then serve the stew into serving bowls.
Dunk the bread into the stew.
Sprinkle paprika over, then garnish with fennel tops and a lemon wedge.
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