Steve Haywood Health & Fitness

A tasty health-kci, seafood is low-fat and a great source of lean protein for muscle building. Pepper contains loads of vitamin C and tomatoes have cancer-beating properties.

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow or orange pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion
• ½ head fennel
• 1 garlic clove
• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes
• 10 pitted black olives, sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 King scallops

Method

• Pre-heat the grill to 200C, 400F, Gas 6. Cut the peppers into quarters; remove the seeds and white membrane. Place the peppers, skin side up, on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook the peppers under the pre-heated grill until the skins have blackened. Tip the charred peppers and any juices into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Peel and finely chop the red onion and fennel.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the chopped onion and fennel and cook for about 4 minutes until tender and beginning to turn golden at the edges. Peel and crush the garlic, add to the pan, and continue to cook for a further minute.
• Meanwhile, skin the peppers, reserving any cooked juices, and finely dice the flesh. Add the diced peppers and juices to the onion mixture and continue to cook over a low-ish heat for 3 minutes.
• With the point of a sharp knife, make a cross at the bottom of each tomato, cover with boiling water and leave for 1 minute. Place under cold running water and then peel off the skins.
• Cut the tomatoes into quarters and deseed. Finely dice the flesh and add to the pan, continue to cook for 3 minutes until the tomatoes have cooled down. Add the sliced olives, season well and set aside while you prepare and cook the scallops.
• Lightly rinse the scallops under cold running water and place on kitchen paper to dry.
• Heat a heavy based frying pan or ridged griddle pan over a high heat. Brush each scallop with a little olive oil, season and cook in the pan for 1-2 minutes on each side.
• Return the sauce to a low heat and add the chopped basil.
• Divide the scallops and sauce between 4 plates and serve immediately.

Tip

If you have bought your scallops in their shells, use the rounded half of the shell to serve the finished dish in, but only after thoroughly washing them.