Never Discard Seafood Roe: Convert Them To a Luxury Spread – Method

Outside the stunning shores and wild coastline, this island features a exceptional culinary tradition, deeply rooted in its soil and sea. Starting with world-famous Jersey Royal new potatoes to scallops more succulent and more tender than those tasted elsewhere, Jersey's bounty is unsurpassed. The thing that inspires many above all, however, is how island farmers and producers are adopting sustainable farming, while thereby reinventing the island's culinary destiny with creativity and care.

Last month, I was fortunate to host a discussion at a event, and prepare a welcome dinner for the participants, alongside a motivating organizer. Of course, scallops were a must on my menu, because they're Jersey at their finest: delicate, plump and singing of the ocean.

Scallops seem to me the perfect symbol of Jersey's culinary evolution: sweet, plump and regenerative by nature, purifying and cleaning the water while helping to create coastal habitats. Both cultivated and, importantly, diver-caught, they are one of the eco-friendliest proteins we can eat. Yet even, those grew up on Jersey, do not eat their eggs – a common habit, unfortunately. Even more reason to celebrate those rosy morsels, that are far too delicious to throw out. Whipped into butter, they turn into sheer luxury: melt over scallops, stir into rice dishes or just spread on toasted slices.

Scallops can be a little pricey, though, so I've created the following recipe to turn just one shellfish into a stunning starter (or three into a satisfying main course) and, by blending the eggs into smoked paprika spread and roasting them in their shells with cherry tomatoes and crushed garlic, potential waste turns into a delicacy.

That same ethos of reinvention is central to this approach, that introduced an award offering support to food pioneers with brand support, guidance and entry to a marketplace. Judged by a panel of respected food experts, the award will be awarded during an forthcoming event. This is about supporting ideas that will help our agricultural networks flourish, across the board, and there's no better an inspiring place for that conversation to begin than here.

Scallops Roasted in Roe Butter with Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic

Yields six as a appetizer or two as a main

6 roe-on scallops in the half-shell
18 small tomatoes, cut in half
Six cloves of garlic, smashed
3 whole red chillies (such as jalapeño), halved lengthways, or one pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)
50 grams butter
One teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
Salt and black pepper, to liking
Lemon wedges, to accompany
Some samphire, agretti or 6 small pickle slices, to decorate (if using)

Clean the scallops, detaching the roe from each and keeping the rest of the scallop fixed to the half-shell (request your seafood supplier to handle this for you, if necessary). Put six halved tomatoes in each shell with the equivalent of smashed garlic and one half a chili pepper, if added.

Transfer the scallop roes in the jug of an immersion blender (I find this is the most effective method for blending small amounts), add the spread and spice, and blitz until creamy. Distribute the butter between the half-shells, ensuring every shellfish is thoroughly coated in the butter.

Heat the broiler until it's scorching hot, then place the shellfish beneath the heat for 6-8 minutes, until blistered and bubbling. Present right away, topped with optional samphire, agretti, a piece of gherkin and/or a drizzle of the pickle juice or a bit of lemon.