Recipe: Scallops with Celeriac Purée, Chorizo Oil, Fennel and Grapefruit

Ingredients

• 2 scallops (try to buy them as large as you can
)
• Approx. 200g celeriac
• 120g milk

• 50g unsalted butter
• 50g heavy cream
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 of a grapefruit
• 100g fennel

• 100g semi-dry chorizo
• 100g olive oil

Method

CHORIZO OIL:

1. Semi-dry chorizo.
2. Cut into chunks.
3. Place in blender and cover with olive oil. Blend until chorizo is fully broken up.
4. Pour all into small pot.
5. Render on low heat, bring to a simmer.
6. Reserve.

CELERIAC PURÉE:

1. Peel celeriac
2. Cut into thin slices
3. Heat a little butter in a high sided saucepan
4. Add celeriac slices, cover halfway with whole milk
5. Cook on medium-low heat, no colour on the celeriac
6. Go until slices are fully tender — should be able to mash them with a fork — anywhere from 40-60 mins depending on thickness of slices
7. Drain milk
8. Add celeriac to blender
9. Blend with butter, heavy cream until extremely smooth
10. Add white pepper and a little nutmeg
11. Reserve

FENNEL AND GRAPEFRUIT SALAD:

1. Thinly slice fennel bulb (the white stuff), having removed the core. Preferably do this on a mandoline. 
2. Cut segments out of grapefruit. Combine all together with a little juice from the grapefruit and olive oil
3. Season sparingly with salt and white pepper
4. Reserve

SCALLOPS:

1. If scallops are bought with the orange roe attached, remove but to not discard this. They are edible and can be used in many seafood dishes.
2. Scallops have a round side and a flat side.
3. Ripping hot pan, good amount of oil.
4. Flat side down for two minutes. 1 minute on the other. (That’s for a relatively large scallop, scale down searing time for smaller).

PLATING:

1. Spread a bed of pureé on the bottom of plate.
2. Place the salad and scallops on top
3. Sprinkle a little grapefruit zest on the top of each scallop
4. Drizzle chorizo oil around plate