Scallops with black pudding meatballs
The combination of pork mince and black pudding makes the most succulent, delicious meatballs, served here with scallops, buttered peas and pea shoots.
Ingredients
For the black pudding meatballs
- 1.5 litres/2½ pints pork or chicken stock
- 30g/1oz unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú pork belly mince
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú black pudding, crumbled
- ½ free-range egg, beaten
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the buttered peas
- 30g/1oz butter
- 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
- 150g/5½oz frozen petit pois
- 1 Little Gem lettuce, roughly chopped
- 50ml/2fl oz dry white wine
- 100ml/3½fl oz chicken stock
For the scallops
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 king scallops, cleaned
- 30g/1oz unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp pea shoots, to garnish
Method
To make the black pudding meatballs, simmer the stock in an ovenproof saucepan until the volume of liquid has reduced to 500ml/18fl oz. Add the onion and bay leaf to the hot stock.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the shallot and garlic until softened.
Mix the tarragon and parsley in a large bowl and add the pork mince. Crumble in the black pudding, add the softened shallot and garlic, mix together and then add the egg to bind. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.
Roll the mixture into small balls (about 2.5 cm/1in) and drop them into the hot stock. Braise in the oven for 40 minutes to cook through, basting the tops occasionally, if needed.
To make the buttered peas, heat the butter in a saucepan and fry the shallot, peas and lettuce for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook to reduce the liquid by half, then pour in the stock, taste and season with salt and pepper.
To make the scallops, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the scallops for 1–2 minutes each side, adding the butter to allow it to melt into the scallops.
Serve 2 or 3 meatballs per person with the peas and their cooking liquid. Top with 3 scallops per person and garnish with the pea shoots.
