Directions

1. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer and keep it hot. Boil the frozen peas in salted water until totally defrosted, then drain and blend with the mint, a little lemon zest, lemon juice, parmesan and crème fraîche. Taste and season, then set aside.

2. Heat olive oil and a knob of butter in a wide pan and gently fry the shallots with a pinch of salt until soft and sweet. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then stir in the risotto rice and cook for another minute until the grains look glossy.

3. Pour in the white wine and let it cook away completely. Start adding the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring regularly and only adding more once the previous ladle has been absorbed. Keep going until the rice is just cooked, creamy but still with a little bite.

4. Stir the pea purée through the risotto along with a handful of whole peas. Adjust with a little more stock if needed. Finish with extra parmesan, a knob of butter if you like, and check the seasoning. Keep warm while you cook the scallops.

5. Pat the scallops completely dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with salt. Heat a pan with a thin layer of oil until hot. Lay the scallops in clockwise so you know which went in first. Cook for 60-90 seconds until a golden crust forms. Add a knob of butter, flip the scallops and baste for another minute until just opaque in the middle.

6. Spoon the risotto into warm bowls and top with six scallops per person.