Scallop, bacon and green bean salad

Tam West

The combination of the flavours of scallops, bacon and celery is one I have always liked. If you have lovage in your garden use some of the leaves as they have a celery-like flavour. Substitute asparagus for the beans if you like. This recipe serves six as a starter.

Ingredients

250 g	Green beans, stalk ends cut off (Main)
1 heart	Celery, (bottom inner stalks, about 10cm long) outer stalks peeled off, heart very thinly sliced (Main)
1 large handful	Celery leaves, use the young paler green leaves from the middle of the bunch
250 g	Cherry tomatoes, multi-coloured, halved
4 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil
150 g	Bacon, rind removed, bacon diced 2cm (Main)
24	Scallops (Main)
4 Tbsp	White wine vinegar
2 Tbsp	Chopped chives

Directions

1. Drop the beans into a saucepan of boiling salted water, bring back to the boil and boil 3 minutes. Drain.
2. Put the celery heart, leaves, warm beans and tomatoes on to a shallow serving platter.
3. Heat a frying pan over moderate heat and add the oil. Add the bacon and fry until just beginning to brown.
4. Add the scallops and stir fry until browned. Quickly add the vinegar, mix well and sprinkle everything evenly over the vegetables on the platter.
5. Sprinkle the chives on top and serve.

Ray's three course seasonal menu for six also includes

brown sugar, orange and hazelnut syrup cake

and

panfried lamb shortloin with greens and greek lemon sauce.