Base for scallops on pea/mint purée starter

Zell

I did a starter recently of scallops on a bed of pea and mint purée and it was delicious, perfect for this time of year. The recipe was taken from BBC Goodfood. However I'd like to add another layer, a base layer and was thinking small pancake or very thin potato cake. Any suggestions?

Pang

How about some thinly sliced chargrilled courgette or aubergine?

The courgette would add a further freshness and lightness to the scallops.

Potatoes I find can be very heavy, especially with scallops.

Some wilted spinach could work as well.

Faith

Black pudding would be nice.

Mellor

Pang wrote: »

How about some thinly sliced chargrilled courgette or aubergine?

The courgette would add a further freshness and lightness to the scallops.

Potatoes I find can be very heavy, especially with scallops.

Some wilted spinach could work as well.

Courgette, aubergine, or most veg would be too "soft". Layered with the puree it come across as a bit of a mush.

A "crispy" layer would be better imo.
I'm planning a scallop, vegetable puree, and chorizo starter this week. Or as Faith said, black pudding.

Faith wrote: »

Black pudding would be nice.

That's one of the first thoughts I had too.
Reminded me of this;
http://www.masterchef.com.au/recipes/seared-scallops-black-pudding-green-peas-fish-jus-.htm

Seaneh

Get a good fat chorizo and slice it into thin rounds, fry it on both sides to crisp it up a little and render off some of he fat, then fry the scallops in the same pan and then arrange them whatever way you want on the plate, I'd recommend puree on the bottom, scallops on top of that and a piece of chorizo on each scallop. adds a great flavour to he mix and a nice texture difference.

twerg_85

Mellor wrote: »

A "crispy" layer would be better imo.
I'm planning a scallop, vegetable puree, and chorizo starter this week. Or as Faith said, black pudding.

+1

pwurple

You can rarely go wrong with adding bacon!

Super crispy bacon, couple of pieces. crunch, saltiness. Yummi.

wannabecraig

I did with Black pudding at the weekend and they were very well received.

Zell

Thank you for the helpful replies. When I read the suggestions of chorizo and black pudding it was like "Why didn't I think of that!" In fact I think I had just that starter a few years ago with black pudding. I'm cooking for friends on Wednesday and deliberating whether to go chorizo or pudding!

the beer revolu

Zell wrote: »

Thank you for the helpful replies. When I read the suggestions of chorizo and black pudding it was like "Why didn't I think of that!" In fact I think I had just that starter a few years ago with black pudding. I'm cooking for friends on Wednesday and deliberating whether to go chorizo or pudding!

Both would work well. I'd make the decision based on what pudding or chorizo I could get.

wannabecraig

chorizo could be too spicy and hard to cut in to.

Darkginger

Try some crispy pan-fried pancetta?