Autumnal Scallop Salad

Courtesy Alan Coxon

Ingredients
12 fresh scallops, preferably with corals attached
12 small mint leaves
2 tbsp dried orange zest, ground into to a powder
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp Olive oil1 tsp lemon, juice, or to taste

For the roast endive
8 endive, heads, chicory, ideally Belgian, cut in half lengthways
3 tbsp Olive oil
4 tbsp Balsamic vinega
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the salad
2 Pears, skinned, cored and sliced
1 bunch Watercress, torn into sprigs
25g lamb's lettuce
20 Blackberries
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
150g toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

For the dressing
5 tbsp hazelnut oil
4 tbsp Blackberries, pureed
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/gas 4.

2. Place the halved endive in a roasting tray, cut side up, drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Roast the endive in the oven for 7-8 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, using a small, sharp knife, cut a small incision in each scallop and inset a small mint leaf in each scallop.

5. Dust the scallops with the dried orange zest powder, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

6. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan. When the pan is very hot, add the scallops to the pan.

7. Cook the scallops for 2 minutes, until lightly golden, then squeeze over a little lemon juice.

8. To make the salad, mix together the pear, watercress, lamb's lettuce and blackberries.

9. Sprinkle over the black pepper and the hazelnuts.

10. To make the dressing, pour the hazelnut oil slowly into the blackberry puree, whisking constantly. Mix in the red wine vinegar and season with saltand freshly ground pepper.

11. Gently toss the salad with the dressing.

12. Place the roast endive on a serving plate. Top with the scallops and serve with the salad.