CHARCOAL-GRILLED ORKNEY SCALLOPS
James Cochran cooks up a vibrant and colourful storm using local Orkney scallops as his centrepiece, charred to perfection on the barbeque. Try his recipe, using the freshest scallops you can source locally, and serve with James’ smoked whisky and orange cream sauce, tangy dulse dressing and a cured bacon crumb to deliver layers of flavour. A sweet, smoky and salty dish whose contrasting ingredients sing in unexpected harmony!
Ingredients
4 large hand-dived scallops (ask your fishmonger to prepare them for you)
4 slices of smoked streaky bacon rashers, finely sliced
For the smoked whisky and orange cream sauce
Splash of olive oil
2 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
200ml fresh orange juice (smooth)
200ml double cream
50ml Highland Park 12 Year Old
Juice of ½ lemon
For the dulse dressing
8g dulse (a local or Asian seaweed will work)
50ml olive oil
Reserved bacon fat*
Juice of ½ lemon
1 orange, peeled, pith removed and cut into segments
50ml Highland Park 12 Year Old
Method
1. Start off by preparing the bacon. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and add the finely sliced rashers, frying until crispy. Drain through a sieve and reserve the fat*, then put the crispy bacon crumbs on kitchen paper and set to one side.
2. To prepare the smoked whisky and orange cream sauce, place a saucepan over a medium heat and add a splash of olive oil. Peel and finely slice the shallots and garlic and add to the pan, sweating for 10 minutes until soft. Add the orange juice and reduce by half before adding the cream and reducing to the consistency of a runny sauce. Finally, add the whisky and remove from the heat. Check for seasoning and add lemon juice to taste.
3. For the garnish, add the seaweed to a bowl with 50ml of olive oil, the reserved bacon fat and the juice of half a lemon. Barbeque or chargrill the orange segments and add to the dressing. Finally, chop the fresh dill and add to the dressing, along with the 50ml of whisky and put to one side.
4. Now you’re ready to barbeque the scallops. Season with salt on both sides and place on the barbeque for two minutes each side to ensure deep charring. Allow to rest for two minutes and then slice each scallop into five or six slices (depending on size).
5. To assemble, arrange the scallop slices at the bottom of four shallow bowls (or scallop shells) and create layers by dressing first with the smoked whisky and orange cream sauce, then the dulse dressing and finally a topping of cured bacon crumbs. Enjoy!
Pairs with
12 Year Old
ABV : 40% | Volume: 700ml
Spicy and well-rounded. Packed with the flavours of sun-kissed Seville oranges and richly spiced fruitcake, with hints of molten heather honey lingering sweetly in light Orcadian peat smoke.