King Scallops with Herb and Pesto Butter
Indulge in the luxurious simplicity of king scallops nestled in their shells, topped with a vibrant herb and pesto butter that melts into golden perfection under the grill. This dish captures the essence of coastal freshness, evoking memories of seaside feasts where every bite whispers of the ocean's bounty. With a cheeky nod to the scallop's shy nature in its shell, it's a starter or canape that feels both elegant and effortlessly approachable, promising tender morsels that dance on the palate with herbaceous zing.
The aspirational allure lies in sourcing live scallops for that unbeatable freshness, transforming a simple grill into a symphony of flavours: the sweet, delicate scallop meets the punchy basil, mint, and parsley in the pesto-infused butter, accented by nutty pine kernels and sharp parmesan. Textures contrast beautifully, from the soft, yielding seafood to the rich, emulsified butter, creating a sensation of warmth and satisfaction that lingers, ideal for impressing at dinner parties or elevating a quiet meal with a light salad or beetroot pasta accompaniment.
Cook: 3 minutes
Ingredients
Scallops
- 18 scallops in their shells (prepared as above or opened by your fishmonger), reserve the top half of the shell to cook the scallops
Herb and Pesto Butter
- 6 tbsp mixture of: mint, flat leaf parsley, basil and chives roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- juice and zest of 1/4 lemon
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 150g unsalted butter
- maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Serve
- As a main with a Beetroot Fettuccini (see recipe), tossed with peas, mint garlic, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil
- or a light salad
Method
- Herb and Pesto Butter: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to a smooth mixture, so that all the ingredients are well combined. Alternatively finely chop all the ingredients and grind the pine nuts in a mortar and pestle, and mix all the ingredients together with a fork until well combined.
- To Cook: Preheat a grill to high. Place the scallops on their half shells on an oven tray. Place a generous helping of the herb and pesto butter on each scallop. Place the scallops under the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes until herb butter has melted and is slightly golden. Remove the scallops from under the grill and serve at once.
- To Serve: Serve the scallops on their own as a starter or with the beetroot and pea pasta or a light salad as a main dish.
Recipe
