Great starter, Scallops with apple puree and crisp pancetta

You'll need: 3 scallops per person
8 Granny smith apples - 7 peeled and thinly sliced
100g Butter
1/2 Vanilla pod scrapped
Pinch sugar
Thinly sliced pancetta
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Ok start off by melting the butter and vanilla pod slowly, when this is done add the sugar and the 7 thinly sliced apples and cook on a medium to low heat until the apples resemble a mush. blitz them in a blender and pass through a fine chinois and season with salt to taste.

Whilst this is cooking take the top off the remaining apple and slice the apple wafer thin and soak in stock syrup (50%water 50%sugar boiled) and place on a baking tray and dry in an oven at 50degrees until crisp.

Line your pancetta on a baking tray with parchment paper on then cover again with another sheet of parchment and another tray to ensure the pancetta stays completely flat. cook this in the oven at 180degrees for approx 5mins until it is crispy.

When all the components are ready and your friends/family/colleagues have arrived season your scallops and get a pan on to a high heat with olive oil, add your scallops to the hot pan and cook the scallops until they are golden on one side, this should take about 1min. turn the scallops and lower the heat and cook the scallops through so they are still soft but firm to the touch. Finish with a touch of butter and a drop of lemon juice. Heat the apple puree.

Get the number of plates you require and put 3 spoons of puree in a line through the centre of the plate, and place 3 slices of the crisp pancetta ontop of the puree with the scallops spooned ontop of that. Finish the dish with a drizzle of olive oil and some cracked black pepper and 2 apple crisps between the scallops. Serve immediately.