recipes

Gordon Ramsay

Chef-patron, Gordon Ramsay, London

"Cauliflower is a vegetable not widely used in this country, so the combination of this ingredient with scallops almost represents the rich versus the poor - roasted scallops sitting on a humble cauliflower purée. The vinaigrette, made from capers, sultanas and water, was something I learnt from Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and despite its simplicity has so much flavour. I think this salad will have as much success as my cappuccino soup."

Panache of roasted scallops on a bed of cauliflower purée with white raisin vinaigrette

(from a Passion for Seafood, published by Conran Octopus) Serves four

Ingredients

12 large scallops

Olive oil

Picked chervil for garnish

For the raisin vinaigrette

(makes 12 portions)

300ml water

300g white raisins

300g capers

For the cauliflower purée

1/2 head of cauliflower

25g butter

1/2 pint milk

Seasoning

100g mixed salad and dressing

Method

Warm the water and soak the raisins. Add capers, then purée and pass through a fine chinois.

Remove the cauliflower stalks and cut into small pieces. Heat the butter and milk in a pan and stew the cauliflower in it until softened. Strain and liquidise the cauliflower then season and pass through a fine chinois. Keep warm.

Warm the raisin vinaigrette slowly. Season and dress the salad in the centre of the platter and roast the scallops in olive oil. Arrange the puréed cauliflower and vinaigrette around the salad and place the cooked scallops on top of the cauliflower purée. Pour over warm vinaigrette and serve immediately.