Joan Campbell & Sue Fairlie-Cuninghame

Seared scallops with green beans and baba ghanoush

serves 6

Ingredients

Baba Ghanoush

1 large eggplant
4 tbsp tahini paste
1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed
juice of 1 lemon
3 to 4 tbsp cold water
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
a pinch ground cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Green beans and scallops

500g green beans, trimmed and cut into strips
olive oil
30 scallops, without roes

Method

To make the baba ghanoush

Pierce the eggplant in 4 or 5 places with the point of a knife and bake in a preheated 200 degree C. oven for about 30 minutes, or until tender.

Cut the eggplant in half and scrape the flesh into a colander. Rinse briefly under cold water, squeeze to remove excess liquid and set aside to drain.

Combine the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt, pepper and cumin in a small bowl.

Puree the drained eggplant in a food processor.

Add the tahini mixture and process until smooth.

With the motor still running, add the olive oil in a thin stream.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the chopped parsley.

Taste for lemon juice, salt and pepper, and set aside.

To prepare the beans and scallops

Cook the beans in boiling salted water until well cooked; then, drain and refresh under cold running water.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat, brush with a little oil and sear the scallops quickly on both sides.

To serve:

Spoon a layer of the baba ghanoush in the centre of each serving plate.

Arrange the scallops on top, then drape with a pile of beans.

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