seared scallops with cauliflower puree & crispy pancetta

ohhhh how i love LOVE love seafood...!! any seafood...
my earliest memory of eating seafood was at one my parent's annual new years eve parties. we used 2have this amazing 10' underground swimming pool growing up & my parents used 2have these hedonistic parties... i always wish i could go back & suss out what exactly everyone was getting up to & what made the same man strip naked & jump off the pear tree in2 the pool EVERY year! aaaanyways, mum bought 3 dozen oysters & left them in the fridge one year but alas! she apparently only had 1dozen 2serve by the time everyone had come over.....
why? how? u may ask...

well....

i (vaguely) remember opening the fridge & slurping one down being extra careful to leave the shell in the exact same spot. i honestly thought no one would notice & that if i left the shell in its place a new oyster would magically grow back?? haha... i suppose i (may have) slurped my way through about 24 oysters over the course of the day....
i was only 4 years old.... ;p


seared scallops with cauliflower puree & crispy pancetta

ingredients:

for the cauliflower purée

1 head cauliflower broken into florets
55ml of double cream
sea salt flakes (i use maldon)
white pepper
truffle oil (optional)

for the scallops

200g of pancetta
20 scallops, trimmed, without the roe
1 lime, juice only
sea salt flakes
black cracked pepper

method

1. for the cauliflower purée, cook the cauliflower florets in a pan of boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until tender but with a bit of bite. drain, then place the florets on a plate lined with kitchen paper to dry completely.

2. place the florets in a food processor with the cream and blend to a smooth purée. transfer to a pan and place over a medium heat. stir in the cheese until melted, then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. spoon into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and set aside until ready to serve.

3. for the scallops, grill the pancetta until the fat has been rendered out and the pancetta is crisp and golden-brown. remove and cut, then set aside.

4. grab a frying pan & sear the scallops for about 1 minute on both sides on high heat, or until golden-brown all over and just cooked. Squeeze over the lime juice and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. smear the cauliflower puree on2 a plate and sit the scallops on top. then sprinkle over the pancetta & drizzle with your truffle oil.

now eat ! eat! eat! :)