Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
For the wasabi pea puree:
300g peas (fresh podded or frozen)
2-3 sprigs fresh mint
4 tbsp double cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated wasabi to taste, about 3 tsp
For the scallops:
6 large king scallops, cut in half through the middle, or 12 smaller queen scallops
25g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
For the wilted watercress:
30g unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
watercress
Method:
Cook the peas in boiling water with the mint sprigs until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain, remove and discard the mint and tip into a food processor. Add the cream and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and a little freshly ground black pepper and return to the pan. Set over a really low heat to keep warm.
To cook the scallops, melt the butter with the olive oil in a frying pan. When it is sizzling hot, add the scallops and cook for a minute on each side until slightly caramelised and cooked through but still juicy in the middle. Set aside on a warm plate covered in foil.
Remove the peas from the heat. Freshly grate the wasabi and stir though the peas to taste.
For the wilted watercress melt the butter in a large frying pan or wok. Once foaming, turn the heat down low and add the garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds or so. Add the watercress and stir fry for just a minute until wilted.
To serve, add 3 teaspoons of pea puree spread out onto a warmed plate, topping each with a scallop. Pile the wilted watercress in the middle, drizzling over any butter juices. Eat immediately.