Order scallops in their shell from a fishmonger in advance. Speak to them nicely and they will clean the scallops for you if youre not sure how but dont forget to bring the shells home with you for this recipe. If you cant find scallops in their shells, follow the method for baking the scallops in paper parcels below.
¼ tsp pink peppercorns 40g butter, at room temperature Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp each chopped basil and tarragon 1 medium carrot, peeled ½ a leek, trimmed 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing Splash of dry white wine or vermouth 2 large scallops in their shell, cleaned 100g ready-rolled sheet of puff pastry
1 Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Crush the pink peppercorns, then blend into the butter with a pinch of salt and the chopped herbs. Shape into a sausage and wrap in clingfilm. Chill until firm in the fridge or, if time is short, in the freezer.
2 Meanwhile, cut the carrot and leek into matchsticks. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the vegetables with a little seasoning until soft. Add the wine and cook until reduced. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Slice the scallops horizontally in half and season lightly.
3 Lay the scallop shells out on the work surface and brush the insides lightly with olive oil. Unwrap the butter and cut into slices. Cover the concave shells with half of the vegetables and place the scallop halves on top followed by the remaining vegetables. Place 1-2 slices of butter on top, then arrange the remaining shells in position. Using a long, thin strip of the puff pastry, seal the edges of the shells together.
4 Or, if you were unable to get scallops in their shells, cut out 2 sheets of greaseproof paper, about 25cm x 25cm in size. Assemble the vegetables, scallops and butter as above, putting the ingredients on one half of the paper. Bring the empty side of the paper over, then fold the ends together to make a parcel.
5 Put the scallop shells or parcels on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Place on warmed plates and open at the table.
