Healthy Biltong Recipes by Gary O’Hanlon

#1 Biltong & Scallop Surf-N-Turf with Gingery Courgettes

Gary O Hanlon - TV chefWhat Gary says about this dish …Contrasting flavours. I love them! They hit many different taste senses. Just like a salted caramel shouldn’t work but does, so too does meat and fish. Biltong has a very robust and strong flavour but it marries well with the sweetness of the scallops here as they are cut by the lemon juice, butter and ginger. This dish is ideal as a canapé starter or even a main-course. Allow 6 scallops per person as a main course and 25g of Biltong. Happy eating.

Ingredients

Serves two for main course or four as canapés.

12 scallops
2 courgettes, cut into 12 slices
1 large finger of ginger, peeled and grated
50ml of vegetable oil

3 knobs of butter
Juice of ½ lemon
50g Biltong
Fine sea salt and pepper to taste

Method

Mix the oil and ginger together and brush is over the courgettes and set aside for at least one hour. Season the scallops and the marinated courgettes with fine sea salt and ground white pepper.

Heat two heavy based non-stick frying pans until smoke point. Add a drizzle of vegetable oil to each pan. Add the scallops to one and the courgettes to the other. Cook until golden and then turn and repeat. Once the courgettes colour on each side, remove and set on kitchen paper to drain off excess oil.

When the scallops are golden on the second side add in the lemon juice and the butter. Once the butter foams, baste it over the scallops for 20 seconds. Remove the scallops and then add the Biltong to the butter and toss it over a high heat for 20 seconds. Spoon onto kitchen paper to drain off excess butter.

To Serve, divide the Biltong amongst the courgettes and top with the scallops.

Enjoy!

Gary O'Hanlon

Chef, TV & Radio Broadcaster and Columnist

Gary O Hanlon has been Head Chef of Viewmount House, Co. Longford since 2008. Winner of the Georgina Campbell ‘Best Restaurant in Ireland’ 2014, Food & Wine Magazine ‘Best Chef Leinster 2016’ and ‘Country House of the Year 2017’ Gary has been ever present on our TV screens since 2008 with appearances on MasterChef Ireland, Four Live, The Today Show, Late Lunch Live, The Seven O Clock Show and is resident Chef on ‘The Restaurant’. Gary is a columnist with The Irish Times, has a food show on Shannonside/Northern Sound and is a regular contributor on Today FM.