Dived Scallops with Charred Leek, Onion, Salted Wild Garlic Buds Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 kg small button onions (peeled and soaked in salted water for 24 hours)
• 450 g lager
• 50 g honey
• 50 g white wine vinegar
• Sprig of thyme
• 2 juniper berries crushed
• 1 strip orange peel

• 1.5 litres brown chicken stock
• 500 g dashi
• 50 g olive oil
• 500 finely sliced onions

• 350 tops of leeks (very green)
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 2 g xanthan gum
• Seasoning

Picked Onions
1. Place all the ingredients apart from the onions into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil to make the pickling juices.
2. Remove from the heat. Cool slightly.
3. Pack into a kilner jar, and pour the pickling juices over the onion.
4. Seal the jars and allow to cool. Place in a cool place for a week.
5. When needed cut into rings or wedges. Place in a bowl until needed.
Oinon Broth
6. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, stir well and cover with a lid.
7. Cook for approximately 5 minutes stirring occasionally till the onions have collapsed and become translucent. Now remove the lid and cook until the onions are a lovely deep golden brown colour, stirring well.
8. Add the brown chicken stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 50 minutes, skimming as necessary. Carefully strain through muslin.
9. Place into another pan and add the 500 of dashi, bring to the boil and slowly simmer for 5-10 minutes for the flavours to develop. Remove from the heat and cool. The stock should be extremely well flavoured by now, if it is a bit watery, place back on the heat to slowly reduce, but not boil. If it is too reduced add a little water.
10. When needed just simply reheat without boiling.
Leek Puree
11. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Clean and finely slice the leek, and blanch in the water for 10 seconds. Drain through a sieve and place in a blender.
12. Add the butter and blend until a smooth purée is obtained.
13. Add the xanthan gum and whizz again season. Pass through a fine sieve and place in a squeezy bottle keeping warm.
14. Remove the tops of the leeks leaving mainly white. Bring a pan of salted water up to the boil.
15. Cook the leeks until tender, refresh in cold water and drain well.
16. Heat a griddle pan until very hot, brush the leeks with oil and place on the griddle pan.
17. You need the leeks to get a good charring on one side but do not let burn.
18. Place on a tray and turn around in the butter, season.
Scallops
19. Remove the orange roe from each scallop – they can be used for another dish – we are using the pure white part of the scallop. Remove grit with a damp cloth if there is any.
20. Cut each scallop in ½ to give you 12- 18 discs. Place on a damp cloth, on a tray, cover and place in the fridge.
21. Heat a large heavy bottomed frying pan. When you feel the heat coming off it place half the olive oil in and then half the scallops. Cook for 30 seconds, add half the butter. Cook for a further 30-60 seconds.
22. Turn and cook for about 1 minute. Remove to a warm plate, wipe pan and repeat with the other scallops. When all cooked, season.
To Serving
23. Place the scallops to one side of the plate overlapping. Sprinkle with onion seeds and a little Maldon salt.
24. On the other side of the plate place a charred leek, then place the slices of jowel in three little folds along the leek. Slice some of the pickled onions and dress them on the leek.
25. Scatter with wild garlic buds and dress with the wood sorrel.
26. Dot some of the leek purée and serve the onion stock to one side.
Home Cured Pork Jowel (Per 2 Pork Jowels (Stand Alone Recipe)
27. Check the jowl to see if there is any hair on the skin, if there is use a blow torch to singe them and then remove with a dry cloth.
28. Turn the meat over and remove any glands that may be there.
29. Crush the peppercorns in a pestle and mortar, add the junipers and crush then add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
30. Rub this mixture over the jowls and massage it into them for 3 minutes each side.
31. Place in a vacuum bag and seal, failing that use a zip freezer bag.
32. Place in the fridge for between 6-8 days, the flesh should now be firm to the touch.
33. Remove from the bag and dry well. Thread a little string through the meat, using a trussing needle, form a tied loop and hang in a cool dry place (45-50°F) for approximately 2-3 weeks. It should get harder as the time progresses.
34. When ready, wrap in silicon paper and place in a container in the fridge until needed.When needed slice as fine as you wish on a meat slice, 3-4 slices per person. This makes great bacon by the way.