Seared scallops with leeks, ham hock and roast hazelnut and chive vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the ham hock
1 ham hock
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
½ leek, washed and trimmed
For the leeks
3 leeks, washed and trimmed
agar-agar (either flakes or powder)
For the scallop velouté
knob butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
16 scallop roes (from the scallops listed below)
1 glass white wine
240ml/8fl oz double cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the scallops
16 hand-dived scallops, with roes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dash olive oil
½ lemon, juice only
To serve
handful finely chopped chives
handful roasted hazelnuts, chopped
handful micro salad leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp hazelnut oil

Method

1. Place the ham hock in a large pan with just enough cold water to cover. Add the carrot, onion and the leek half. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and leave to cook for three hours.
2. When the ham hock is cooked, take the ham out and allow to cool, reserving a large cup of the leftover cooking liquor.
3. For the leeks, place the leeks in boiling salted water and cook for a minute. Drain and refresh by plunging straight into a bowl of ice cold water. Place two sheets of cling film on top of each other on a clean work surface. Drain the leeks again and pat them dry. Place onto the cling film.
4. In the meantime dissolve the agar-agar in the cup of ham hock liquor (use the instruction guide supplied with the agar-agar; the precise amount will differ for powder or flakes). Cover the leeks with the agar-agar and ham hock liquor mixture, using just enough to coat. Wrap tightly in the cling film and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
5. For the scallop velouté, melt the butter in a pan and add the shallot. Fry for a few minutes until softened, but not browned. Add the thyme, garlic and
scallop roes and cook for a further minute. Add the white wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half in volume.
6. Add the double cream leave to simmer until reduced by half again. Adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a clean pan. Keep warm.
7. For the scallops (when the leeks have been left for an hour), season the scallops with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Heat a frying pan until very hot and add a dash of olive oil. Add the scallops to the pan and fry for about one minute on each side. Add the lemon juice to the pan when the scallops are cooked.
8. Remove the leeks from the cling film and divide amoung four warmed plates. Place the cooked scallops on top of the leeks.
9. To serve, shred the ham hock using your hands and place it over the leeks and scallops. Sprinkle with the chives and roasted hazelnuts, finishing off with micro salad leaves on top. Drizzle with the hazelnut oil and scallop velouté and serve.