Gill Meller Seared Scallops with Creamed Sprouts & Roast Pork Belly Recipe

Slowly reared, native pork is a thing of beauty, it requires little attention to turn it into a fabulous feast. Salted crackling with its deeply umami character encases tender, sweet meat that is so more-ish you'll find yourself going back again and again, until, alas, there is none left!

Some may find it a slightly unusual combination, however, well-reared pork and beautifully buttery scallops make a harmonious couple. Think scallops with bacon - or the classic, scallops and black pudding. There is a real love affair between the two headline ingredients.

Our brilliant friend Gill Meller crafted this fabulous dish with celebrations in mind. There is often so much entertaining during the festive season, however Turkey must wait for its time to shine on the big day. That's where this recipe comes in, this is a proper dinner party feast that will definitely impress your guests.

Ingredients

12

British Hand Dived Scallops
1kg

Native Breed Pork Belly
500g

Brussel sprouts
1 medium glass

Cider
2

Cloves of garlic
200ml

Double cream
3-4

Sprigs of thyme
1 knob

Grass fed butter
A handful

Flatleaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon

Olive oil
A good pinch

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method

Pre-heat the oven to 220C Fan/Gas Mark 6.
Remove the pork belly from the fridge 1-2 hours before you intend to cook it. Make sure the skin is lovely and dry.
Use a sharp knife to score the skin and fat of the pork (don’t cut into the meat). Place the pork in a roasting tray and season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Place the pork in the oven for 25–30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180C and roast for a further 1½ hours, until crunchy and golden on the outside and tender and giving in the middle.
Meanwhile trim and rinse the sprouts, if they need it, then shred them relatively thinly. Place a large heavy based pan over the heat. Add the butter and when it’s bubbling away add the sliced garlic. Let it sizzle for a few seconds then add the sprouts, season with salt and pepper and give them a good stir. When the sprouts are beginning to soften about 5-10 minutes add the cider and let it bubble away for a further few minutes. Now add the cream to the pan and turn the heat down to a nice gentle simmer. Let the sprouts cook until the cream is lovely and thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required, stir in the parsley and keep warm.
Season the scallops all over with salt and pepper. Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the oil and when it’s hot add the scallops. Cook for about a minute on the first side the turn them and give them a further 30-40 seconds before adding the butter, bashed garlic clove and thyme. Sizzle everything for a moment longer then tumble the scallops round the pan once or twice.
Spoon the creamed sprouts out over a large platter or divide between a 4 plates. Cut the roast pork into nice bite sized chunks and arrange this over the sprouts. Place the scallops around the pork and serve.