Awarded two Michelin stars by the age of 26, Tom Aikens is one of the UK’s most talented chefs. We are delighted that he has shared his delicious recipe for Roast Scallops with Ham and Leek with us and would like to challenge you to see if you can cook it too. The person who tops the challenge will win a copy of Tom’s cookbook, Easy.

Ingredients to serve 4
8 large leeks
100g toasted hazelnuts
Toasted hazelnut oil
1 bunch chervil
caster sugar
1 lemon
9 1/2 leaves gelatine
Parmesan shavings
8 extra large scallops
4 slices jabugo ham
Mixed salad leaves

Strip the first two layers from the leeks and chop finely, then wash well along with the whole leeks. Place the whole leeks in boiling salted water and cook for six to ten minutes until tender. Plunge in to iced water to stop the cooking cool and drain.

Remove and discard a couple more layers and dry. place six leeks on a tray grate over 20g of the nuts using a microplane and add a drizzle of hazelnut oil and a tbsp of chopped chervil. Place the chopped leek layers into a pan with 600ml of water and a few sprigs of chervil. Bring to the boil, turn off the heat and leave to stand for a couple of minutes then strain, discarding the chopped leek and reserving the liquid.

Add a little sugar and lemon juice to taste. Put 400ml of this warm liquid in a bowl with eight leaves of gelatine to dissolve, cool and chill. When it is nearly set pour over the six leeks.

Put these leeks with their jelly on to a sheet of clingfilm and roll tightly into a neat bundle. Seal with string each end then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Take the rest of the leek liquid add a tsp of chopped chervil and the remaining gelatine and place in the fridge to set. Cut the two remaining leeks in half lengthways and scatter each half with a little parmesan shavings, a little hazelnut oil and some grated hazelnut oil then season lightly. Grill until golden.

Cut the scallops in 1/2 horizontally and season. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan when it is hot then add the scallops. Turn them when you see a golden colour around the edges then cook for a further 30 seconds add a little lemon juice and take out of the pan. Slice the leek boudin in1/2 cm thick slices and place on to the plate with the ham scallops and grilled leeks. Spoon around the set jelly and add the leaves dressed with hazelnut oil lemon juice and grated hazelnuts.