Name: Scallop fritters with rocket salsa verde
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Fritters; 150 gm plain flour (1 cup); 2 eggs, separated; 2 tbsp olive oil; 180 ml beer, at room temperature; 500 gm scallops, without roe, cut into 1.5cm pieces; 1 litre vegetable or peanut oil, for deep-frying; To Serve: lemon halves; Rocket salsa verde; 25 gm coarsely chopped rocket (½ cup); ¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley; ¼ cup finely chopped chives; ½ tsp finely chopped thyme; ½ tsp finely chopped oregano; 45 gm salted capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped (¼ cup); 1 shallot, finely chopped; 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; ¼ cup lemon juice; 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

“Salsa verde just means ‘green sauce’. In Italy, salsa verde is traditionally made with parsley, all kinds of different herbs, lemon, olive oil and capers. In this version, I’ve used rocket, which gives the sauce a peppery, nutty quality. This sauce is so good it can be used on anything from chicken and fish to veal or even pork chops. The scallops can be replaced with any other shellfish – prawns, clams or mussels” – Joanne Weir.

Ingredients

Fritters

150 gm plain flour (1 cup)

2 eggs, separated

2 tbsp olive oil

180 ml beer, at room temperature

500 gm scallops, without roe, cut into 1.5cm pieces

1 litre vegetable or peanut oil, for deep-frying

To Serve: lemon halves

Rocket salsa verde

25 gm coarsely chopped rocket (½ cup)

¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup finely chopped chives

½ tsp finely chopped thyme

½ tsp finely chopped oregano

45 gm salted capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped (¼ cup)

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup lemon juice

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Main

1.Sift flour and ½ tsp salt into a bowl, making a well in the centre. Whisk egg yolks, olive oil and beer together in a small bowl until just combined, then pour into well and stir until just combined; do not over-mix. Cover batter and leave for 1 hour at room temperature.

2.For rocket salsa verde, combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use immediately or within 1 hour.

3.Place scallops in a bowl and season to taste. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggwhites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold into batter until just incorporated. Spoon batter over scallops and stir gently to combine. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 180C and fry heaped tablespoonfuls of fritter mixture, in batches, in hot oil for 30-60 seconds or until golden, then drain on absorbent paper. Place fritters on a platter and serve immediately with a bowl of salsa verde and lemon halves.

Joanne Weir

Styling by Michaela le Compte