Scallops with asparagus

Method

by Allegra McEvedy, from Colour Cookbook (Kyle Cathie, £19.99)

1 Preheat a griddle until very hot.

2 In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic cloves very gently for five to seven minutes.

3 Slice the asparagus stalks into 3-4cm diagonal pieces, keeping tips whole.

4 Turn off the heat on the garlic oil, cool to room temperature, then remove the garlic. Once the mixture is completely cool, stir in the chopped herbs, a squeeze of lemon and some seasoning.

5 Pat the scallops dry, roll in olive oil and season well.

6. Cook the asparagus in 150ml boiling water for two minutes.

7 Grill the scallops on the griddle until they are opaque and offer a small amount of resistance when you squeeze them around the middle.

8 Add the baby spinach to the asparagus pot and shake it all about for a couple of minutes until the greens have wilted and the water has evaporated.

9 Add two-thirds of the herb dressing to the greens and toss well.

10 Divide the greens between the scallop shells or small plates and top with the scallops. Finish with a generous drizzle of the remaining herb dressing.