Scallops with pea puree and smoked bacon veloute

Method

1. For the shallot and bacon veloute: put the bacon trimmings and milk in a pan and bring to the boil and remove form the heat.

2. Meanwhile, gently fry the shallots in the butter with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent. Add the thyme and bay leaf and cook for a couple of minutes more. Finally add the fish stock, cream and the infused milk with the bacon trimmings. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Remove the bacon trimmings, thyme and bay leaf with a slotted spoon and pour the liquid and shallots into a blender. Blend until very smooth, then pass through fine sieve. Set aside until required.

4. For the pea puree: cook the peas in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and refresh in iced water. Drain again.

5. Whiz 400g of the peas to a puree in a food processor then pass through a sieve to remove the outer skins. Warm the puree in a pan and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir in the remaining whole peas.

6. For the scallops: preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.

7. Season the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick ovenproof pan and add the scallops. Transfer to the preheated oven for 2 minutes then flip and return to the oven for a further 2 minutes or until just cooked. Squeeze over a little lemon juice.

8. Gently warm the veloute, season with salt and pepper and add a knob of butter. Use a hand blender create a frothy cappuccino effect.

9. Make a tear of pea puree on a plate and place the scallops onto the puree. Spoon around the froth from the sauce, dress with some micro herbs and serve.