This is a colourful and vibrant dish that looks as stunning as it tastes, making it perfect for spring and summer dining.
Serves 4
Equipment: 4 small moulds 55mm diameter, circular cutter 55mm
Ingredients
10 large scallops cut in half
2 roasted red and 2 roasted yellow peppers (roasted in a moderate oven until soft and then peeled once cold)
Marinated grilled aubergines and tomatoes
Basil oil (see below)
Tomato oil (skim the oil from the top of the marinated tomatoes)
Olive oil
Aubergine vinaigrette (see below)
4 tbsp tapenade
2 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and cut into small dice (tomato concassée)
Greek yoghurt
Chopped basil
Lemon juice
Chervil
Basil oil
50g fresh basil
500ml extra virgin olive oil
1 Place the basil and the olive oil into a saucepan and heat to 80°C and then pour into a blender. Place the lid on top and start the blender, once going remove the lid and blend for 3 minutes. Pass through a sieve lined with muslin cloth and leave to drain.
Aubergine vinaigrette
200g aubergine pulp (skinned, roasted and roughly chopped aubergine flesh)
75ml extra virgin olive oil
10ml sherry vinegar
40ml cream
4 drops of white truffle oil
Salt and pepper
(Note that this vinaigrette is best served at room temperature to avoid splitting)
2 Blend the aubergine pulp to a fine purée. Heat cream lightly and add slowly to the aubergine (while blending), then gradually add the olive oil. Add the 4 drops of white truffle oil and season with salt and pepper. Finally add the sherry vinegar, and reserve for later use.
Tomato vinaigrette
250g homemade tomato sauce
100ml extra virgin olive oil
50ml sherry vinegar
20g tomato concentrate
Salt and pepper
3 Place all the above into a blender and season with salt and pepper.
4 To make the provençal vegetable terrine, drain the grilled aubergines and tomatoes from the marinade. Line the moulds with cling film, place a piece of marinated aubergine skin side down, into the mould and season with salt and pepper. Now place a line of roasted red peppers, season, and then yellow. Add a line of the marinated tomatoes, and then repeat the lines of yellow and red peppers, season and finally finish with a layer of aubergine. Note that the aubergine should be above the level of the mould. Cover the mould with cling film, press under a heavy weight for 6 hours.
To dress
5 Thin the tapenade with a little water and spread some on the plate by taking a spoon and drawing the tapenade vinaigrette on to the plate in 4 lines evenly spaced, and repeat this with the tomato and aubergine viniagrettes as in the picture. Now dribble basil and tomato oils over and across.Then place a slice of terrine in the middle of the plate. Pan-fry the tomato concassée in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and add some of the chopped basil. Place the tomato concassée into 5 even piles on to each plate around the terrine.
6 Just before serving, season one side of the scallops with salt and pepper and using a non-stick pan, fry in olive oil until golden brown (only a minute or two per side). Season with lemon juice, and place each scallop on top of the piles of tomato concassée. Finally pipe a small amount of Greek yoghurt on the top of each scallop and top with chervil.
Enjoy!
