Here is a great example of how astute ingredient combinations can make a highly impressive dish even when the recipe is very simple. This scallop salad recipe from Adam Gray is ideal for a dinner party starter too, because all the components can be prepared in advance and the scallops fried to a luscious golden brown just before serving. Ratte potatoes are perfect salad potatoes – they’re long and fairly smooth with a waxy texture and yellow, buttery-tasting flesh – but unusually are very good mashed too. Slow-cooking them in duck fat adds to their luxurious quality. If you can’t find cobnuts, use toasted hazelnuts instead
Method
1.
Preheat the oven to 110°C/Gas mark 1/4. Slice the potatoes 1cm-thick and place them in a shallow oven tray lined with greaseproof paper
2.
Warm the duck fat in a saucepan and pour it over the potatoes until they are covered. Cover the tray with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender
3.
Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-top jar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Put on the lid and shake until well mixed. Set aside until serving
4.
To toast the cobnuts, put them in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat and stir frequently until golden. Remove from the pan and allow to cool
5.
Alternatively, toast them under the grill, keeping a careful eye on them to ensure they do not burn
6.
Once the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and leave in the duck fat until needed
7.
Heat a heavy frying pan over a high heat and add the rapeseed oil. Once the pan begins to smoke, add the scallops to the pan, presentation-side down and fry until golden
8.
Turn the scallops over and continue cooking on the other side until the same colour is achieved
9.
Put 3 slices of potato down the centre of each serving plate (reheating in the oven if necessary) and top with the scallops. Arrange the cobnuts and salad leaves around the outside then drizzle with the maple syrup dressing and serve
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