Salad:
Fill a large bowl with cold water and toss in a few ice cubes. When chilled, use a potato peeler to shave long, thin strips off the carrot. An old-fashioned peeler works well for making these carrot slices – texture is really important in this salad, so go for the thinnest strips you can.
Add these to the water. Cut the spring onions into long shreds and place these in the bowl with the carrot. Put the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the vegetables to firm up and curl. Then drain in a colander and pat the veg dry on some kitchen paper. Place into a large bowl and set aside.
Place the mango on a chopping board and cut a thin slice off the bottom. This will make it easier to sit the mango upright on the board without it toppling over. Now, peel away the skin using a sharp knife, or if it’s not too ripe, you could use a potato peeler but do keep in mind that a ripe one will taste much better. You will now have a skinless mango. Cut down through the mango vertically on either side of the stone, which runs lengthways. Slice off any remaining flesh from the stone and cut all the flesh into long, thin slices. Place these into the bowl with the carrot and spring onion.
Add the mange tout, bean sprouts, coriander, salad leaves, cashew nuts and chilli and lightly toss together with your hands. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. (Remember to wash your hands well after handling the chilli!)
Scallops:
To shuck a scallop, hold the shell with your left hand with the hinged end of the shell secured in the join between your thumb and forefinger. Rest the crinkly side on a tea towel so it doesn’t slip. Insert the knife into the side of the shell close to the hinge where there is a natural gap. Press the knife against the inside of the flat shell and sweep the blade across from top to the bottom to cut through the muscle holding the shell in place. Then open the flat shell back and twist it off. The scallop will be sitting in the curved shell. Hold this flat in your hand and use a spoon to loosen the contents from the shell. Hold these contents and use your thumb to run back and forth to break the connection between the connecting parts and the white muscle, which is the eating part. When loosened you will be able to push the white meat up which will pop the meat out from its skirt. Pull away the skirt and the rest of the debris, leaving the white meat in your hand. Place it in a bowl while you shuck the others. Wash the meat for no more than 30 seconds and pat with kitchen paper so that it’s completely dry. Repeat with the rest.
Heat a frying pan until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil to heat. Lay the scallops in the pan. Sear for 45 seconds without moving them or you won’t achieve a good caramelised crust then use tongs to turn them over and cook for another 30 seconds. Flip them back over and cook for a further 30 seconds on the first side, then remove them from the pan. Season with a little salt.
Divide the scallops between four warm plates so that the most caramelised side is uppermost (you can slice them through the middle if you wish to make it look like more). Toss the salad with 2 tablespoons of dressing then place a mound beside the scallops. Drizzle round a little more dressing and an extra squeeze of lime if you want.
Salad:
Fill a large bowl with cold water and toss in a few ice cubes. When chilled, use a potato peeler to shave long, thin strips off the carrot. An old-fashioned peeler works well for making these carrot slices – texture is really important in this salad, so go for the thinnest strips you can.
Add these to the water. Cut the spring onions into long shreds and place these in the bowl with the carrot. Put the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the vegetables to firm up and curl. Then drain in a colander and pat the veg dry on some kitchen paper. Place into a large bowl and set aside.
Place the mango on a chopping board and cut a thin slice off the bottom. This will make it easier to sit the mango upright on the board without it toppling over. Now, peel away the skin using a sharp knife, or if it’s not too ripe, you could use a potato peeler but do keep in mind that a ripe one will taste much better. You will now have a skinless mango. Cut down through the mango vertically on either side of the stone, which runs lengthways. Slice off any remaining flesh from the stone and cut all the flesh into long, thin slices. Place these into the bowl with the carrot and spring onion.
Add the mange tout, bean sprouts, coriander, salad leaves, cashew nuts and chilli and lightly toss together with your hands. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. (Remember to wash your hands well after handling the chilli!)
Scallops:
To shuck a scallop, hold the shell with your left hand with the hinged end of the shell secured in the join between your thumb and forefinger. Rest the crinkly side on a tea towel so it doesn’t slip. Insert the knife into the side of the shell close to the hinge where there is a natural gap. Press the knife against the inside of the flat shell and sweep the blade across from top to the bottom to cut through the muscle holding the shell in place. Then open the flat shell back and twist it off. The scallop will be sitting in the curved shell. Hold this flat in your hand and use a spoon to loosen the contents from the shell. Hold these contents and use your thumb to run back and forth to break the connection between the connecting parts and the white muscle, which is the eating part. When loosened you will be able to push the white meat up which will pop the meat out from its skirt. Pull away the skirt and the rest of the debris, leaving the white meat in your hand. Place it in a bowl while you shuck the others. Wash the meat for no more than 30 seconds and pat with kitchen paper so that it’s completely dry. Repeat with the rest.
Heat a frying pan until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil to heat. Lay the scallops in the pan. Sear for 45 seconds without moving them or you won’t achieve a good caramelised crust then use tongs to turn them over and cook for another 30 seconds. Flip them back over and cook for a further 30 seconds on the first side, then remove them from the pan. Season with a little salt.
Divide the scallops between four warm plates so that the most caramelised side is uppermost (you can slice them through the middle if you wish to make it look like more). Toss the salad with 2 tablespoons of dressing then place a mound beside the scallops. Drizzle round a little more dressing and an extra squeeze of lime if you want.
