Seared scallops with garlic mashed potato and butterred asparagus

Made this for dinner on Thursday, August 23 for a shoot. Lighting was still a problem, but the dish tasted not too bad, except the gravy was a little too salty. This was served together with some rocket, cherry tomato, radish with white wine vinaigrette dressing, and sauteed button mushroom.

Recipe as follows, in order of preparation (serves 4 persons):

Garlic mashed potato

Ingredients:
3 Russett potatoes, scrub and cut into halves
full medium pot of water, about 1 litre
pinch of salt
4 cloves of garlic, roast in oven for about 10 minutes with 180 C
50 g of normal butter (not unsalted)
1/3 cup of cream (or milk)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Boil the water with the pinch of salt and put in the halved potatoes, boil till tender and soft (prick using fork), pour the water away, leave to cool and peel off the skin. Put the peeled potatoes back into the pot, put the butter into the pot and cover for 5 minutes until the butter has melted.
2.Remove the skin of the roasted garlic, put them with the salt and ground black pepper into the pot with the potatoes and mash using a potato masher.
3. Add cream or milk and stir until you get a good consistency.

Seared scallops

Ingredients:

12 Frozen giant scallops thawed and dried with kitchen towels (if you can find fresh ones, that's even better), marinated with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, chopped fresh oregano and 1 tsp of lemon juice
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp heap of plain flour mixed in 3/4 cup of water (to make gravy)
pinch of salt and grounded black pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Heat pan till hot and pour in the olive oil, when the oil is hot enough, put in the scallops, sear on each side till golden brown, dish out on paper towels to drain the oil away. Leave aside.
2. Put the pan back onto the stove and heat up, mix the plain flour with the 3/4 cup of water and pour it in. Simmer for about 2 minutes, add salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Butterred asparagus

Ingredients:
16 stalks of asparagus (shoot only)
1 tbsp of butter

Procedure:

1. Heat up butter in a separate pan, and put in the asparagus, stir and cook lightly for about 2 minutes, dish aside.

Procedure to assemble:
1. Put the mashed potato on the base then the scallops, pour the gravy over and finally topped with the asparagus.