cut dry-cured smoked bacon rashers
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the bubble and squeak:
500g/1lb 2 oz leftover roast potatoes
250g/9 oz any leftover cooked greens, e. g. cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spring greens
a little semolina or flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the red wine vinaigrette:
8 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 small hard-boiled egg, shelled and chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and roughly chopped
2 cocktail gherkins, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped mixed tarragon, parsley and chervil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pat the scallops dry with kitchen paper, then remove the corals and set aside. For the bubble and squeak, finely chop the scallop corals and put them in a bowl with the roast potatoes and greens. Mash with a fork until the mixture begins to hold together and then season well to taste. Divide the mixture into four and shape into cakes. Dust lightly with semolina or flour and chill for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Whisk the vegetable oil and red wine vinegar together. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
Wrap a bacon rasher around the edge of each scallop and secure with a cocktail stick, then set aside.
Heat a frying pan, add the vegetable oil and fry the bubble and squeak cakes for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Heat a ridged griddle pan until hot, put the bacon-wrapped scallops in it and cookuntil the bacon is golden all over, rolling the scallops over with tongs to colour it evenly. Then lay the scallops flat and cook for 1 minute on each side.
Put the bubble and squeak on 4 serving plates and arrange the scallops on top. Drizzle the vinaigrette around and serve.
Risotto allo Champagne con capesant
Champagne risotto with scallops
For me, making risotto is as natural as breathing. It won’t take too long for you to feel the same way. Basically the act of making risotto is divided into four main parts. First we start with the soffritto, which in this case is the onion cooked in the butter. Then comes the toasting of the rice in the butter. Next, the hot stock is added, with continual stirring to allow it to be absorbed by the rice. Finally, when the rice is cooked, comes the mantecare, when the risotto is rested off the heat for 30 seconds and the butter (and cheese in non-seafood risottos) is added. Remember that your rice should be al dente, and pearly looking. Otherwise it is just a rice dish and not a risotto. Giorgio
Serves 4
6 large, fresh scallops
1 litre/1¾ pints hot fish stock
75g/3 oz butter, plus an extra knob of cold butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
350g/12 oz superfine carnaroli risotto rice
125ml/4fl oz champagne
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chop 2 of the scallops into 5mm/¼in dice. Slice the rest of the scallops thinly, season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
Put the stock in a saucepan and keep it at simmering point. Melt the 75g/3 oz butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook gently until softened. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat it with the butter. Add the champagne and cook rapidly until it is reduced by half. Slowly start to pour the fish stock into the rice a ladleful at a time, stirring well. After each addition, allow the stock to be absorbed into the rice before adding the next ladleful, letting it gently simmer away and stirring all the time. When all the stock has been added and the rice is tender (this should take about 15-20 minutes), add the diced scallops. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 30 seconds, then add the knob of butter and stir together well.
Season well to taste and then serve the risotto in warmed serving bowls garnished with the sliced scallops. The heat of the rice will almost cook the scallops on the way to the table.
English fish soup
Zuppa di pesce all’Inglese
This is actually a traditional French recipe but given a distinct English accent. The harissa, saffron and Pernod might be imported flavours but the fish I’ve chosen are very much local heroes, so it’s more your ‘fish soup’ than your ‘soupe de poisson'. If you like, you can serve this with grilled baguette slices topped with melted Gruyère or rouille. Tony
Serves 4-6
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
pinch of fennel seeds
small pinch of saffron strands
1 teaspoon harissa paste
1 tablespoon tomato purée
200g/7 oz gurnard, skinned and roughly chopped
100g/3½oz red mullet, skinned and roughly chopped
300g/10 oz whiting, skinned and roughly chopped
