The pub, which is ranked No.8 in Estrella Damm’s Top 50 Gastropubs list, created the dish as a new take on a shellfish starter, taking inspiration from the Wellingtons that regularly appear on the pub’s menu.
“We always feature a shellfish starter on the menu, and this time we wanted to present it in a slightly different way,” Geldeard said. “Since Wellingtons appear quite often on our menu, we thought it would be interesting to try the concept with scallops instead.”
The scallops are sourced from the Isle of Man and paired with leek vinaigrette to balance the richness of the dish.
“It’s quite a rich dish, so the leek is there to cut through the richness and bring balance,” Geldeard added. “It pairs beautifully with a glass of Chapel Down Reserve, the English sparkling wine we are currently serving.”
The dish is priced at £20, with a cost of £9.
Hand dived scallop en croute with leek vinaigrette and English sparkling wine sauce
For the leek vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- 2 large leeks, cut to 10cm in length then cut into ribbons
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp Champagne vinegar
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- Chives, to finish
Method:
Mix the Dijon mustard and Champagne vinegar together, then slowly emulsify with the olive oil.
Blanch the leeks for one minute, then refresh in iced water.
Drain, dry on a cloth and mix with enough vinaigrette to bind. Finish with chives.
For the English sparkling wine sauce
Ingredients:
- 350ml English sparkling wine
- 2 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 500ml fish stock
- 250g double cream
- 250g butter
Method:
Sweat the shallots and garlic in half the butter, then add the sparkling wine and reduce.
Add the fish stock and reduce by half, then add the cream and reduce by half again.
Place in a blender with the remaining butter and pass through a sieve back into a pan.
Finish with a glass of English sparkling wine and foam with a hand blender.
For the scallop mousse
Ingredients:
- 4 hand dived scallops with roe
- 250g double creamSea salt
Method:
Blitz the scallops in a blender with sea salt, then emulsify with the cream in a steady stream.
Chill over an ice bath, then place in the fridge.
For the scallop en croute
Ingredients:
- 4 medium sized hand dived scallops, roe removed
- 4 hand dived scallops with roes attached, plus roes from the other scallops
- Scallop mousse
- Puff pastry
- Egg yolk, for brushing
- Oil spray
Method:
Spray the dariole moulds with oil spray and line with cling film.
Place the scallop mousse into a piping bag and pipe around the bottom of the mould. Work around the edges until the mousse reaches the top, leaving enough space in the middle for the scallop.
Place the scallop in the middle and cover the top with mousse, then return to the fridge.
Cut the puff pastry into 12cm x 12cm squares. Turn the scallops out onto the puff pastry and brush around the edges with egg yolk.
Place another sheet of pastry on top and carefully work around the edges, crimping the pastry and removing the air without squashing the scallop.
Egg wash the top and place in the fridge for half an hour, then repeat the egg wash process once more.
Using the back of a knife, score the pastry for decoration. With the back of a fork, work around the sealed edges, then neaten with a pastry cutter.
Place on a tray and bake for 13 minutes at 180°C, until the centre of the scallop reaches 40°C. Leave to rest for three minutes.
To serve
Serve the scallop en croute with the leek vinaigrette and English sparkling wine sauce.
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