baked mornay scallop with minted pea puree

It's a real pity the baked mornay scallop can't be seen in this picture. Well, there is one - under the mesclun salad. (D took the picture!!)

Anyway, this dish was really well-received with my dinner guests. The mint pea puree at the bottom was a fantastic foil to the slow-roasted roma tomato sitting on it. The baked half-shell mornay scallop precariously on the tomato, followed by the balsamic vinaigrette dressed salad. I also made a dill cream sauce which was absolutely unnecessary.

For the mint pea puree - boil peas in cream till very tender but still green. Add sprigs of mint and more cream. Season with freshly cracked pepper and sea salt. (Don't overdo the mint, or not you'll get toothpaste tasting peas)

For the roasted tomato - half the roma tomatoes and season well with slt and pepper. Add either fresh thyme or rosemary if you have any on hand. If not, you can do without. (PS. Local tomatoes will not do here - they are almost colourless and extremely tasteless. Roma, plum or vine-ripened are of course costlier but worth the few more dollars)

For the mornay - melt cubes of butter in a pan and add several tablespoons of flour. Fry the roux till the floury smell is gone. Add warmed milk slowly until it becomes saucy. Add cheddar at the end to make it a cheesy sauce. Add to raw scallops, top off with more cheddar and parmesan cheese and baked at very high heat. Always slightly under cook the scallops. When they are served, they will be perfect.

For the vinaigrette - whisk very quickly 1 part balsamic and 3 parts extra virgin olive oil together until emulsified. You can add a tsp of dijon mustard if you wish.

This is happy food - the emerald green of the peas, the warm orange and the sweetness of the tomato, the comforting creaminess of the cheese and the mornay sauce, the ocean saltiness of the scallop, the freshness of the salad. Just wonderful combinations. Try it to believe it. Happy daze.