This is quite a stunning starter, or if you wished you could double up the scallops and serve it as a main course.  The miso paste gives it quite a unique flavour which goes exceptionally well with the scallops.  I served this for friends and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

Serves 2

Mushrooms

1 tbsp. miso paste

1 clove of crushed garlic

1 tbsp. soy sauce

100ml dry sherry

2 cm fresh ginger thinly sliced into batons

30g unsalted butter

2 large Portobello mushrooms, stalks removed

For the garnish

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 spring onions sliced

100g baby leaf spinach

4 king scallops

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

45g unsalted butter

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives

Seasoning

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees for the mushrooms
2. Place miso paste, minced garlic, soy, sherry, ginger and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil
3. Place the mushrooms in a roasting tin and pour over the miso mixture.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes
4. Remove mushrooms from the oven. Transfer the excess liquid to a small pot and reduce until you have a sticky glaze (keep warm)
5. To make the garnish, heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a frying pan and sauté the spring onions and spinach until soft and wilted.  Sprinkle in the sesame seeds.  Set aside and keep warm
6. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan.  Pat the scallops dry with kitchen roll and season.
7. Add scallops to the oil, cook on one side for approx. 2/3 minutes.  Turn the scallops over and add the butter and lemon juice and remove from the heat.  The heat from the pan will continue to cook the scallops (as always I would recommend a food thermometer)
8. Brush the scallops with the remaining glaze
9. Place the mushrooms on individual plates and top with the spinach mixture, followed by 2 scallops on each
10. Garnish with chives and enjoy!