Seafood, eat it

Today I have a seafood recipe for you. Not only that, it isn't even Indian! It's only short though, because it's late, and I just spent ages doing my nails. I tried loads of different stuff watching youtube tutorials, but it just never comes out the same as how they do it, even though i had all the right tools (well, I had an old eyeliner brush as a striper, and a hairpin as a dotting tool, but that's close enough!) Eventually, after all the hassle, I just did a twist on a French manicure, with a maroon base and gold tips. It's really messy, though, there's bits all over my skin. That'll come off soon though. 

Not going to be a hand, or finger model any time soon

Scallops seem to be all the rage at the moment in posh restaurants. Take for example Ricky in The Apprentice, in which during one challenge, he was served scallops as a sample dish at EVERY SINGLE RESTAURANT to which he went. On the plus side, they taste really good.

Scallops in balsamic sauce

Serves 4 as starter

Scallops with coral
50g butter, preferably unsalted
45 ml balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1. Warm a non stick pan to a high heat.
2. Rub some of the butter onto the base of the pan and cut the rest into small pieces.
3. Sear the scallops for two mins each side, then reduce the heat.
4. Take out the scallops.
5. Pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and scrape in any scallop bits on the side of the pan.
6. Reduce this by 1/3rd
7. Add the rest of the chopped up butter
8. Whisk until the butter dissolves, then season.
9. Pour the sauce over the scallops in a nice dish to be served and eaten, preferably with crusty bread. Yum yum yum!

Even though they don't look all nice and plated up, these scallops are totally delicious and nice bread is perfect for mopping up this sauce, nd it’s so simple (says she who can barely cook). I have to say, we don’t normally have scallops, but I think my mum found them on special offer, and gave them to my dad for him to cook. However, the reason I might find them so delicious is because of the balsamic vinegar. Ever since I was little, I have loved vinegar, in salad dressings, in crisps... In fact I really like sour things. Ad balsamic vinegar has just the right balance of sour, sweet and savoury. I'm finding I totally understand what the Japanese mean by an "umami" flavour, a savoury sort of taste, like soy sauce. My sweet tooth as dwindled recently, but savoury has taken it's place. That's the reason I like eating meat so much, and I find myself wondering how vegetarians can get that really intense savoury flavour without it. Vegi-sausages and quorn and other things like that have been really quite bland, but I guess seeing as things like soy sauce are vegetatian, it is reasonable to assume vegetarians aren't completely deprived of the taste. 

NB. Having just googled umami, apparently ripe tomatoes, mushrooms and loads of other foods, including vegetarian ones, have this flavour, so I guess they'll do fine!
I did actually do some cooking today. If boiling some fresh pasta for three minutes and stirring in some Philadelphia, creme fraiche and sweetcorn counts as cooking. As primitive as it may be, it’s so yummy. Pasta is a holiday staple, especially filled pasta, like this was. So quick and easy to do. 
Tomorrow I go to London, so hopefully I'll be able to get some recipes off my aunties and grandma who live there, rather than just from my mum and dad (although their cooking is in fact excellent). In any case, I'll actually have to do something other than sleep and eat, that being work with my uncle who is an accountant. Thrilling as that sounds, I will still try to update this everyday. Even if barely anyone reads it :D
Bye bye xxxx