As an educator, I love that I can not only teach practical elements of cookery but also highlight and share what I know about wonderful ingredients and sustainability. This is a relatively simple dish, but it relies on great ingredients and precise cooking to make it stand out. Two of Scotland’s most iconic ingredients marry beautifully to make this classic dish. I always use hand-dived scallops, as it is the most sustainable method of harvesting this incredible ingredient. Black pudding is a real speciality of Scotland, and Stornoway black pudding is particularly good. Black pudding has been made in crofts on the Hebridean Isles for hundreds of years, and it is so unique that in 2013 it was awarded Protected Geographical Indicator of Origin status.

Ingredients

12 king scallops
12 slices black pudding
300g / 12oz carrots
50g / 2oz butter, unsalted
2 banana shallots
50g / 2oz plain flour
½ lemon
Few sprigs of dill, seasoning and oil

Instructions

Your first task is to make a carrot puree, so peel and chop the carrots into even sized pieces. Place the carrots into a pan with half of the butter and a little salt, cover with water and bring to the boil. Once the carrots have cooked, drain them into a colander over a bowl to catch the cooking liquor. Pour the carrots into a liquidizer and blitz down. You might have to add some of the cooking liquor to get it going but be careful not to add too much as it will make it too watery. Adjust the seasoning and put to one side. Next, evenly slice the black pudding. I have used baby black pudding, so the slices are smaller. Next, cut the shallots into thin rings and dust with flour, in a small pan with a little oil shallow fry until crisp and put to one side. Then, pop the black pudding into a moderate oven around 170°C. Lastly, it is time to cook the scallops; place a pan onto the heat and, once hot, add a little oil. Place the scallops into the pan in a clockwise direction so that you know what order the scallops went in the pan (and what order in which to remove them.) Once your first scallop has taken on some colour its ready to turn, quickly turn all your scallops, once they have all been turned remove the pan from the heat, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and the remainder of the butter. Coat all the scallops with the lemon and butter mixture and remove from the pan. Place the scallops onto some kitchen paper to absorb and excess butter. By this time, the black pudding should be cooked – arrange the pudding onto the plate topped with the scallops and crispy shallots. Add the carrot puree and finish with a few sprigs of dill and onion seeds.

Slàinte!
Gary
www.garymacchef.com

Share: