Elegant yet effortlessly simple, these Grilled Scallops with Green Chilli and Parmesan Oil showcase sweet, tender scallops paired with a vibrant herb oil infused with the savoury richness of Parmesan. Finished with fresh chilli and delicate chervil, they’re a restaurant-worthy starter that’s sure to impress.
Makes: 12
Prep time: 25 minutes + 2-3 hours infusing + 1 hour draining
Difficulty: Easy
Featured appliance: Smeg 50’s Style MultiGrill in Black.
Ingredients
20g Parmesan rind
150ml grapeseed oil, plus 2 tsp extra for cooking
2 bunches coriander (3 cups)
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
12 scallops in the shell, shucked, shells cleaned and reserved
Sea salt
Chervil, to serve
Method for Grilled Scallops with Green Chilli and Parmesan Oil
1. Place Parmesan rind and grapeseed oil in a bowl and set aside for 2-3 hours to infuse. Remove and discard rind. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add coriander and blanch for 10-12 seconds or until vibrant green. Immediately plunge into a bowl of iced water and leave for 1 minute. Drain, then squeeze well in paper towel until as dry as possible.
2. Place coriander, half the sliced chilli and infused oil in a blender and blitz for about 1 minute or until vibrant green. Pass through a sieve lined with muslin and allow to drain for 1 hour (or overnight). Transfer oil to a jar and refrigerate until required. Bring to room temperature before serving.
3. Preheat the Smeg MultiGrill in BBQ mode with the flat plate set to 230°C. Once preheated, activate the SEAR function and drizzle the flat plate with the extra grapeseed oil. Pat scallops dry with paper towel and season lightly with sea salt immediately before cooking. Add scallops to the hot plate and cook for 1-1½ minutes or until golden. Turn and cook for a further 30-60 seconds or until just cooked through. Transfer scallops to the cleaned shells.
4. To serve, drizzle with the chilli and Parmesan oil and top with chervil and remaining chilli.
More Summer Entertaining Inspiration
Be sure to check out all of the recipes in the Summer Entertaining series for more fresh and enticing options perfect for entertaining friends and family under the summer sun!