Ingredients

• 700g/1½lb potatoes such as Maris Piper
• King Edward or Desirée
• 2 garlic cloves
• 200ml/7fl oz milk
• 25g/1oz butter
• 10g/½oz good-quality ham
• roughly chopped
• 75g/3oz baby spinach leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• vegetable oil
• for frying
• salt
• 20g/¾oz pumpkin seeds
• toasted
• 25g/1oz rice flour
• pinch paprika
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 free-range egg white
• ¼ lemon
• zest and juice
• 200ml/7fl oz chicken stock
• 50ml/2fl oz pumpkin seed oil
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 30 queen scallops
• roes removed and reserved
• 50ml/2fl oz clarified butter
• salt
• squeeze lemon juice
• 50g/2oz sea purslane
• 25g/1oz purslane

Directions

• For the mash
• preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Place the potatoes on a baking tray and bake them for 50-60 minutes
• or until tender. Bake the garlic cloves for 10-15 minutes
• or until soft.
• Carefully remove the potato skins and set it aside. Mash the potatoes in a bowl
• add the milk and butter and beat until smooth. Stir in the ham
• spinach and roasted garlic flesh. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat the oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. Alternatively
• use an electric deep-fat fryer heated to 180C/350F. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Deep-fry the reserved potato skins for one minute
• or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt.
• For the roes
• mix the rice flour
• paprika
• cayenne pepper and salt together in a bowl. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
• Dip each roe in the egg white
• then coat in the flour mixture. Deep-fry the roe for 2-3 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp.
• Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt.
• For the tarragon dressing
• whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
• For the scallops
• blot the scallops with kitchen paper and place onto a plate. Pour over the clarified butter and season with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Heat a frying pan until hot and fry the scallops for 30 seconds on each side
• or until golden-brown on both sides.
• To serve
• spoon some of the mash into serving bowls
• place the scallops on top and scatter over the deep-fried roes
• sea purslane
• purslane and crisp potato skins. Pour the dressing over and scatter over the pumpkin seeds.