SEARED SCALLOPS WITH AUBERGINE SAUCE, PARSLEY AND MINT SALAD

This is a special-occasion dish. The scallops pair beautifully with this sauce, inspired by baba ganoush. The whole thing is finished with a fresh herb, grape and caper salad.

Serves

4 2 TSP CUMIN SEEDS

1 TSP CORIANDER SEEDS

2 TSP SEA SALT

20 MEDIUM SCALLOPS, SHUCKED AND CLEANED

3 TBSP OLIVE OIL

FOR THE AUBERGINE SAUCE

2 AUBERGINES

3 TBSP TAHINI

2 TSP GROUND CUMIN

2 GARLIC CLOVES, CHOPPED 3 TBSP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL ZEST AND JUICE OF 1 LEMON 1 TBSP YOGURT

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY

GROUND BLACK PEPPER

FOR THE PARSLEY SALAD

1 RED ONION, FINELY SLICED 1 TBSP RED WINE VINEGAR SMALL BUNCH OF FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY, LEAVES PICKED SMALL BUNCH OF CURLY-LEAF PARSLEY, LEAVES PICKED AND FINELY CHOPPED

SMALL BUNCH OF MINT, LEAVES PICKED AND FINELY SLICED 2 TSP SMALL CAPERS

16 RED OR GREEN GRAPES, SLICED

2 TBSP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1 Toast the cumin and coriander seeds gently in a dry frying pan until aromatic. Transfer them to a mortar and pestle, add the sea salt and grind the spices until fine, then set aside.

2 For the aubergine sauce, preheat your grill to its hottest setting and pierce each aubergine a few times with a sharp knife. Cook under the grill, turning every 3-4 minutes, until each one is burnt all over and starting to collapse (about 35 minutes). When cooked, leave to cool, then slice in half and scoop out the flesh into a food processor. Add the tahini, cumin, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and juice and yogurt and blitz until smooth. Taste, season and keep warm.

3 To make the salad, place the red onion in a bowl with the vinegar to soften for 10 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients and toss. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

4 To cook the scallops, dry well on kitchen paper, then heat a large non-stick pan over a medium-to-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and lay the scallops into it. Sear for 2 minutes until the edges start to turn golden, then flip over and turn the heat down slightly. Cook for a further minute, then remove the pan from the heat.

5 To serve, divide the aubergine between 4 warm plates and arrange the scallops neatly around the edge of the sauce. Finish with the salad in the centre.