Recipe: Scallops and Pork Belly with Sweet Corn Puree

MUST WINEBAR, Highgate

RCA Modern Australian Cuisine finalist

600g boneless pork belly
1 carrot
1 stick celery
1 small onion
3 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
250ml white wine
12 half-shell scallops
60g caster sugar
vegetable oil
tiny herbs for garnish
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

lime-pressed extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Sweet corn puree:
4 ears sweet corn
80ml cream
20g butter

sea salt and ground white pepper

Pork belly:

First, poach the pork belly. Combine carrot, celery, onion, garlic and bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Place the pork belly in, pour in the white wine and cover with cold water, sprinkling in about 1 tbsp of sea salt. Place over moderate heat until the water begins to simmer, reduce heat to low, skim and cook for approximately 1.5 hours until pork is tender. Remove pork carefully from saucepan and drain. Allow to cool. Discard the cooking liquor. Place the pork belly on to a tray or chopping board lined with baking paper, top with another sheet of paper and place a weighted tray on top of the belly, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set its shape. To use the belly, remove from the refrigerator, peel off skin and cut into 12 square 1cm thick slices, reserve.

Sweet corn puree:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Peel off the husk and remove the silk from the sweet corn. Drop into water, simmer for about 7 minutes until the kernels are tender, then drain. Once cool enough to handle, slice the kernels from the cob placing them into the bowl of a food processor. Put cream in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for one minute, drop in the butter to melt then add to the food processor together with sea salt and a pinch of pepper. Blitz the corn to a very fine puree and serve warm.

Dish:

Preheat oven to 200C. Use a table knife to separate the scallops from their shells, reserve the scallop meat and wash the shells, patting them dry and arranging them on to 4 serving plates. Heat a non-stick pan over moderate heat, press both sides of the pork belly pieces into the sugar and place into the hot frypan, seasoning them well. After 30 seconds check that the belly has a golden caramel crust on the bottom, if so, flip the pieces over to caramelise the other side, for another 30 seconds. Once done, place the belly pieces on a tray lined with baking paper into the oven for 3 minutes to heat through. Spoon equal amounts of the sweet corn puree into each scallop shell and top with the warm pork belly. Wash the non-stick pan and return to a high heat. Brush the scallop flesh with vegetable oil and season on both sides. Place into the hot pan and sear for 20 seconds before turning over and cooking for a further 20-30 seconds. Remove scallops and place on top of the pork belly, sprinkle with herbs and drizzle with a little lime-pressed extra virgin olive oil.

Must Winebar chef Russell Blaikie. Picture Michael O'Brien