Pan Fried Scallops with Roe Emulsion, Confit Garlic, Chilli butter and Sea Purslane

Method

1. Begin by shucking the scallops from the shell.
2. Trim off the roe and put aside for the emulsion. Trim off any excess meat so the scallop is round and smooth, plunge them into icey cold water for about 2 seconds just to give them a quick rinse and lay on a tray lined with a blue j-cloth, place in the fridge for later.
3. Scrub the shells clean and sanitize them for later presentation.
4. For the confit garlic and chilli, place them with 200ml of oil in a blender and pulse roughly a few times to gently break them down but be careful not to blitz smooth into a puree. Place the garlic chilli oil into a small sauce pan and very gingerly bring it up to a shy boil and keep it there for about 45 minutes. Bring down to room temp and set aside for later.
5. The roe emulsion is as easy to make as mayonnaise, but instead of using egg yolks we use roe. In a blender blitz the roe with the lemon juice, mustard and lightly emulsify with the remaining 150ml of rapeseed oil. Season and keep in the fridge for later.
6. Pick the purslane leaves and keep in reserve. Bring the scallops out the fridge for 10-15 minutes before cooking, just to take the chill of them.
7. Bring a pan to a slightly aggressive heat and season the scallops generously, add a dash of neutral oil to the pan and place the scallops round side down and cook for 1-2 minutes. Once caramelised and golden, flip over and remove from the heat. Add the butter with the confit garlic and chilli oil and lightly baste.
8. Finish with the purslane and let it rest for 30 seconds. Add a dollop of roe mayonnaise in the shell and sit the scallop on top, dress the shell with all the pan juices and purslane. Serve and enjoy!