Tony Bilson

Sea scallops with scallop roe ragout

Ingredients

36 sea scallops with roes
4 golden shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup julienne of leek, blanched (1 leek)
225g oyster mushrooms, sliced
1 medium tomato, diced
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup chervil leaves
20 chervil sprigs
6 teaspoons osetra caviar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
200ml virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons walnut oil
1 teaspoon strong Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

To make the vinaigrette, blanch the shallots in boiling water for 1 minute, then refresh under cold running water.

Mix 125ml olive oil, shallots, vinegar, walnut oil, mustard and salt and pepper together in a bowl with a whisk. Set aside.

For the ragout, take the scallops from the shell, clean the flesh and separate the roes from the muscle.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette in a small saucepan.

Mix together the scallop roes, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, leek, oyster mushrooms, tomato, thyme and chervil leaves.

Add them to the vinaigrette and cook gently until the roes stiffen. Set aside.

Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan or skillet until it smokes.

Cook the scallops over a medium heat for 2 minutes (1 minute each side).

Warm the remaining vinaigrette in a small saucepan.

Arrange the scallops in a circle on a large, hot serving plate.

Spoon the warm ragout into the centre of the plate.

Divide the caviar between the scallops.

Garnish with chervil leaves and then spoon the warm vinaigrette around the scallops.