Scallops with garlic butter and champ

For first-time cooks, scallops might be slightly daunting but buy them prepared for you and they are a fantastic addition to any quick-cook dinner.

Credit: Donal's Meals in Minutes

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Add steamed shredded savoy cabbage to the mash here to turn champ into another traditional Irish dish; colcannon. The pancetta can be swapped for slices of streaky bacon or even diced chorizo.

Ingredients

• 900 g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 150 ml whole milk
• 10 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 12 slices pancetta, finely chopped
• 16 large scallops
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Put the potatoes into a large saucepan of salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes until tender. Drain and return to the saucepan over a low heat.
2. While the potatoes cook, warm the milk in a separate saucepan with the sliced spring onions until almost boiling, then set them aside to infuse.
3. Add half the butter to the potatoes in the saucepan then gradually add the milk and spring onions and mash until you have a smooth creamy mash. Season well.
4. Heat a large heavy-based pan over a high heat and fry the pancetta until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
5. Pat the scallops dry with some kitchen paper. Melt a small knob of the remaining butter in the same pan and then add the scallops and sear for 30–40 seconds without touching. Turn over and sear the other side for 30 seconds.
6. Add the rest of the butter and the garlic then spoon the garlic butter over the scallops. Serve the garlic butter scallops with the crispy pancetta and champ.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Add steamed shredded savoy cabbage to the mash here to turn champ into another traditional Irish dish; colcannon. The pancetta can be swapped for slices of streaky bacon or even diced chorizo.