Baked Scallops, Aji Mirasol and Black Garlic Butter

Aji mirasol is a dried chilli paste. This ingredient is indispensable in many Peruvian dishes and adds an earthy flavour to soups and stews. It adds a pepper flavour with moderate heat.

Caramelised onion puree is made by cooking sliced onions for a long time in a little olive oil until completely soft and golden. Puree in a food processor until smooth and creamy. This can be kept in the fridge for approximately five days.

Aji Mirasol and black garlic can be purchased in some delis.

Ingredients

• 12 Port Phillip Bay scallops in the shell

Aji Mirasol Butter

• 100 g butter, at room temperature
• 2 cloves of black garlic
• 30 g caramelised onion puree
• 60 g Aji Mirasol
• 30 g Pisco
• 60 ml / ¼ cup water
• 15 ml / 3 tsp lemon juice
• rock salt, for cooking

Method

Bring butter to room temperature. Rehydrate black garlic in water and Pisco.

In the thermo mixer, blitz everything together (except the rock salt) until well combined. Wrap in plastic wrap, rolling and forming a cylinder shape. Keep refrigerated.

Heat up the oven to 160°C.

Clean the scallops, getting all the excess membrane around them and removing the scallop meat from the shells. Save the shells.

Portion the log of butter into ½ cm slices and place under the scallop meat in the shell.

In a baking tray set a bed of rock salt and place the scallops on top. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes.

Serves 6

ALEJANDRO SARAVIA

Head Chef, Pastuso

Alejandro has worked in esteemed restaurants in Peru and Europe including the Fat Duck in London and Le Ambassadors in Paris as well as many well-known restaurants in Sydney. In October 2011 he opened Morena in Surry Hills, which was the first Peruvian restaurant to be featured in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. Pastuso in AC/DC Lane was established in 2014.