Scallops, the Galician Way

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 large Spanish onion, chopped
• 200 g tomatoes
• 3 tbsps fresh parsley
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• pinch cayenne
• 6 king scallops in their shells
• 30 mls white wine
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 60 mls orange juice
• 40 g butter
• 90 g breadcrumbs
• To serve:
• 1 tbsp parsley
• Drizzle of olive oil

Steps

1. Fry the garlic and onion in the oil in a small pan. Add the tomatoes, 2 tbsps of parsley, thyme and cayenne and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Clean the scallops thoroughly saving any juices. Set aside the scallops and sieve the juice ensuring all shell is removed and add to the tomatoes with the wine. Cook out for five minutes to reduce the sauce then season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes along with the orange juice and blitz to form a puree.
2. Preheat the grill with the shelf at its highest. Arrange the scallop shells on a baking tray. Heat the butter in a skillet, add the scallops and fry for 2 minutes spooning over the butter. This is just to seal them. They won’t be cooked through. Divide the scallops amongst the shells and season with a pinch of salt. Top each with a spoon of the tomato sauce. Blitz the breadcrumbs with the remaining parsley and scatter on top.
3. Spoon over the butter and juices left from frying the scallops. Grill for 2 minutes and serve immediately.