Cooking Lab - Alpha-Style Scallop Moussaka with Smoked Cod Pate and Tomato Salsa

After a series of fine dining, Sydney's Alpha Restaurant's scallop moussaka left an impression on me. So over the weekend, I decided to make a similar version based on the photo and my taste memory with a few modifications. 

In this recipe, I am using my own concoction - smoked cod pate instead of taramasalata. If you want to save time, you can use a pre made deli dip. 


(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

Ingredients:

- 1 large round eggplant 
- 12 large scallops 
- 2 ripe truss tomatoes 
- 200g smoked cod pate
- 10g fresh dill 
- 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 
- 30g dukkah 
- Pink salt and black pepper to season 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Wash and slice the eggplants in round disks and pat dry.

3. Spray ample olive oil on the eggplant slices.

4. Bake in the oven until golden.

5. Blot off excess oil on paper towel and keep warm.

6. Sear the scallops quickly in a hot fry-pan. Spray with a little olive oil on top.

7. Season with salt and pepper.

8. In the meantime, dice the truss tomatoes.

9. Toss in the fresh dill and drizzle with some balsamic vinegar on top.

10. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

To assemble: 

12. Spread an ample amount of smoked cod pate on a slice of eggplant.

13. Place 3 seared scallops on the smoked cod pate.

14. Then top with another eggplant slice like an sandwich.

15. Top with a spoonful of tomato salsa.

16. Garnish with fresh dill and dukkah dusts.

17. Serve immediately.

It is a beautiful modern Greek Moussaka based on Alpha's signature dish. It tastes rich, creamy and so easy to make. For those who are not residing in Sydney, this is one dish you should give it a go. 

It is a perfect appetizer with BBQ and looks gorgeous at the same time. 

Original Peter Conistis's signature recipe for Scallop Moussaka can be found  Here.

Cooking Lab - Japanese Chawanmushi Custard with Scallops and Truffle

Enjoy a hearty delicate, smooth silky steamed egg Chawanmushi with Hokkaido scallops and black truffle shavings. Pure deliciousness!~ 


(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

Silky and smooth~~

Ingredients:

- 4 eggs 
- 4 large scallops 
- 4 fishballs 
- 20g fresh black truffle 
- 1 cup chicken stock 
- 1 teaspoon mirin 
- 1 tablespoon bonito soy sauce 
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken powder 
- 1/2 teaspoon white wine 
- Salt & pepper 

Instructions:

1. Whisk the eggs and strain.

2. Season with mirin, soy sauce and white wine.

3. Add in the chicken stock.

4. Season with chicken powder, salt and pepper.

5. Place a fish ball at the center of the bowl.

6. Divide the egg mixture into 4 equal portions.

7. Cover with aluminum wrap. Allow for Ventilation holes.

8. Steam for 10 minutes and turn the heat down.

9. Finely slice the scallops into tartare strips.

10. Add the scallop tartare stripes on top on the custards 3 minutes before done.

11. Remove the Chawanmushi bowls from the steamer.

12. Place it on a serving tray.

13. Freshly shave the black truffle on top.

14. Serve immediately.

Cooking Lab - Baked Mentaiyaki with Scallops and Salmon (明太子創意料理 - 帆立と鮭の明太焼き)

Mentaiyaki is a special Japanese dish that is not commonly available. It is considered a delicate gourmet and the price can fetch up to $30 for a small 'not-too-generous' dish. 

The best thing is that you can make this at home and have it at anytime. It is relatively simple and the taste is utterly delicious. 

明太子，往往觸動我的貪吃警報。

跟大家分享多一個明太子食譜的變化....利用它的很強的鹹度跟很會吸收鹹味的馬鈴薯做成早餐!


(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

My brunch concoction is packed with sweet scallop, omega 3 salmon and a sea of creamy mentaiko. 

It is so very good on toast or crostini. 

把口感微辣的明太子混和美乃滋，製作出特殊的明太子醬 

只要有新鮮的明太子 , 拌一下簡單的 調味 , 就能做出一份溫醇又夠味的烤蛋。粉嫩的色澤 , 微辣又微鹹 , 讓人看了開心~~

Ingredients:

- 100g scallops
- 100g salmon 
- 2 mentaiko sacs 
- 2 tablespoon Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise 
- 1 small lime 
- 50g mixed cheese 
- 2 hash browns 
- 2 sourdough bread slices 
- 5g parsley or micro herbs 
- Sea salt and black pepper 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven at 180°C.

2.Dice the scallops, salmon and the hash browns into small cubes.

3.Use a tiny spoon and remove mentaiko from its sac.

4. Mix Mentaiko with Kewpie and 1/2 lime juice.

5. Lightly spray some olive oil inside the small baking dish.

6. Place the hash brown at the bottom and scatter the salmon in the middle.

7. Place the scallop pieces on top.

8. Lavishly spread the mentai mixture over all ingredients.

9. Into the oven it goes and bake for about 10 minutes.

10. Add a sprinkle of mixed cheese on top.

11.Bake for further 5 minutes or until bubbly golden.

12. Remove from oven.

13. Garnish with parsley/ or herbs.

14. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

15. Serve hot with toasted bread or crostini on the side.

It is a quick and super-indulgent appetizer perfect at 7am or 7pm. 

It is creamy delicious filled with baked scallop and salmon. It is finger-licking delicious and worth the wait. 

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Cooking Lab - Seared Scallops Salad w Shaved Black Truffle (稀有干貝黑松 露一口吃)

Pan-seared sashimi scallops served with fresh black truffle make this an elegant appetizer that sure to impress your dinner guests. 

I am not using the second derivatives of truffle products, like truffle butter or truffle oil etc. Tonight, it's all about the real deal. A fresh black truffle came all the way from WA and I intend to put it to good use.


(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

今晚的前菜是來自北海道的超大干貝，上面灑上一片片的黑松露。只能豪邁的一口吃。

有黑鑽石之稱的黑松露，算是個珍貴食材。

Ingredients:

- 12 sashmi grade sea scallops 
- 2 slices of Italian prosciutto 
- 10g fresh black truffle 
- 2 cherry radish 
- 2 lebanese cucumber 
- 4 cherry tomato 
- 50g brocolini 
- 20g baby snow pea sprout 
- 20g fresh bean sprout 
- 1 Cara Cara navel orange 
- 30ml lemon-infused olive oil 
- Sea salt flake 

Instructions:

1.Thinly slice the cherry radish into disks.

2.. Skin the Cara navel orange and cut into cubes.

3. Slice Lebanese cucumbers into thin ribbons.

4. Add some ice cubes to keep fresh.

5. Preheat the oven and bake the prosciutto slices till crispy.

6.  Break the baked prosciutto into fine pieces.

7. Pat dry the scallops in paper towels.

8. Cure the scallops in the lemon-infused olive oil.

9. Fire up the blow torch and sear the the top of scallops for 30 seconds.

10. Remove from pan and lightly season with sea salt flakes.

11. The scallops should be very juicy and bouncy at touch.

12. Use the remaining oil to quickly saute the brocolini.

13. On a large serving plate, plate up all the garnishes.

14. Place the seared scallops on the cucumber slice.

15. Top with baked prosciutto crumbles.

Ah-ha, the little precious black truffle gem is ready to make its debut.

Right before serving, freshly grated truffle on top.

One major problem of doing this fine-dining style dishes is that the guests are hungry for more. 

...and since the kitchen is so accessible, they wanted another serving. 

So in this variation 2, I dressed the salad a bit more substantially.