Their high price means we tend to show a lot of respect to scallops, often doing little more to them, after we have taken them from their handsome shells, than frying them in a blinding hot pan and quickly teaming them with a suitable sauce. Expensive ingredients tend to make us behave cautiously.
But right now, scallops are plentiful and not as wildly expensive as usual, so we can afford to experiment a little, and maybe do something as daring - and fun - as this idea of scallop pancakes. Again, it's from Ken Hom's Travels With A Hot Wok, (see Megabites), and the inclusion of Chinese greens - also available at this time of year when so few light-green vegetables are evident - makes for a cracking seasonal dish.
Scallop Pancakes with Chinese Greens For the pancakes: 450g (1lb) scallops, including corals, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons rice flour 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra if needed For the greens:
450g (1lb) Chinese greens, such as Chinese flowering cabbage or bok choy 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons finely sliced garlic 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
Combine the scallops with the rice flour, shallots, chives, salt and pepper. Set aside. Cut the Chinese greens into 7.5 cm (three-inch) pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying-pan. Form the scallop mixture into eight pancakes in the pan (you may have to do this in batches) and brown lightly on both sides. Add more olive oil, if necessary. Remove and keep warm on a baking tray in a low oven.
To prepare the Chinese greens, heat a wok or large frying-pan over a high heat until it is hot. Add the olive oil and, when it is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for 20 seconds, until the garlic has browned. Then quickly add the Chinese greens and stir-fry for three minutes, or until the greens have wilted a little. Now, add the salt, soy sauce and lemon juice and continue to stir-fry for one minute.
Arrange the greens and scallop pancakes on a platter, garnish with chopped coriander and serve at once.