Grilled scallops with pumpkin seed, chilli and coriander sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 50g pumpkin seeds
  • 1 hot chilli, roughly chopped
  • 1 large handful of coriander leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 150ml olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 spring onions
  • 7g Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Salt
  • 16 king scallops, with their shells
  • Olive oil to cook with

I thank Rick Stein for this recipe, especially as I have had it on my menu for years during scallop season. It's from his Food Heroes book. I love any chance to use pumpkin seeds in a dish, because of their health benefits. I also use this sauce as a stuffing under the skin of a roast chicken. Fish shops are no longer allowed to sell scallops in their shells, so order the shells in advance, for serving, and then keep them for the next time.

1 First make the sauce. Put the pumpkin seeds, chilli, coriander, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, spring onions and Parmesan in the food processor with ½tsp salt. Blend to a smooth paste.

2 Preheat the grill to high. Put the scallops on a plate, season with salt and pepper and coat well in oil. Place the shells on a baking tray and fill each one with a scallop. Grill for 1 minute on each side.

3 Spread a teaspoon of the sauce over each scallop and grill for another minute, or until they are just cooked through and the sauce has just started to colour.

4 Serve with some green salad and, to mop up the juices, bread.