Caramelised Scallop, Avocado and Orange Salad with Spices

01Method

1. 1

   Crush the garlic cloves to remove their skins. Dry-toast the spices and chilli for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic and toasted spices together with a teaspoon of salt into a paste, then mix in 4 tablespoons of olive oil.

2. 2

   Remove the muscles from the scallops and coat them in half the spice paste. Leave to marinate for a minimum of one hour.

3. 3

   While the scallops marinate, halve the avocados, remove the stones and peel, then cut each half into several slices. Drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Prepare the oranges by slicing off the tops and bottoms, then carefully cut out each segment from between the membranes. Squeeze the spent membranes to extract as much juice as possible.

5. 5

   Whisk the remaining olive oil into the collected orange juice, then stir in the rest of the spice paste and the sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning.

6. 6

   Place a frying pan over a high heat until smoking. Cook the scallops in batches of six, allowing 3–4 minutes on the first side and 1–2 minutes on the second, until golden and caramelised.

7. 7

   Gently combine the chicory leaves, orange segments and scallops with the dressing, then arrange on a large serving plate. Finish with the avocado slices and torn coriander leaves and serve immediately.