Never Waste Seafood Eggs: Transform It Into a Gourmet Butter – Recipe

Apart from its breathtaking shores and rugged shoreline, this island has a extraordinary culinary tradition, firmly rooted in both soil and sea. From world-famous local baby potatoes to shellfish more succulent and more tender than those tasted elsewhere, the island's bounty is unmatched. The thing that inspires me most, though, is how island farmers and producers are embracing regenerative farming, while in doing so reinventing their culinary destiny with innovation and care.

Recently, I was fortunate to host a discussion at a gathering, and cook a welcome meal for the speakers, alongside a inspiring founder. Naturally, scallops were a must on the spread, since they represent Jersey at its finest: delicate, juicy and singing of the sea.

These mollusks appear as the perfect embodiment of the island's culinary evolution: sweet, plump and regenerative by nature, purifying and cleaning the water while contributing to build shoreline ecosystems. Whether farmed and, crucially, hand-harvested, they are among the most sustainable proteins to eat. Yet many, who were raised on Jersey, do not eat the roes – an often-seen habit, I fear. Even more reason to champion those rosy tidbits, that are much too tasty to throw out. Whipped into butter, they become pure indulgence: drizzle over the shellfish, mix into risotto or just slather on warm slices.

They may be a bit expensive, however, so I have devised this recipe to transform a single scallop into a stunning appetizer (or a few into a satiating entree) and, by whipping their roe into smoked paprika butter and baking them in their shells with cherry tomatoes and crushed garlic, unused parts becomes a delicacy.

This ethos of reinvention is at the heart of this approach, that introduced a prize providing funding to food pioneers with backing, guidance and access to a retail platform. Evaluated by a panel of respected culinary experts, the award is to be presented at an upcoming event. It's focused on supporting ideas that will help our agricultural networks flourish, across the board, and I can't think of an inspiring location for that conversation to start than here.

Scallops Roasted in Egg Spread with Small Tomatoes and Crushed Garlic

Yields 6 as a starter or 2 as a main course

Six with eggs shellfish in the half-shell
18 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Six cloves of garlic, smashed
3 whole red chillies (such as jalapeno), split lengthways, or one dash red pepper flakes, or to preference (if desired)
50 grams unsalted butter
1 tsp paprika
Salt and black pepper, to liking
Lemon slices, to serve
Some sea asparagus, agretti or six small gherkin slices, to decorate (if using)

Prepare the scallops, removing the eggs from every and leaving the rest of the shellfish fixed to the half-shell (ask the fishmonger to do this for you, if need be). Put 6 halved tomatoes in every shell with a clove's worth of crushed garlic and half a chili pepper, if added.

Transfer the scallop roes in a container of an immersion blender (many prefer this is the most effective tool for mixing small amounts), include the spread and spice, and blitz smooth. Divide the mixture between the shells, making sure each scallop is thoroughly coated in the butter.

Heat the grill until it is very hot, then place the shellfish under the heat for 6-8 minutes, until charred and bubbling. Serve immediately, topped with if desired sea vegetables, herbs, a piece of gherkin and/or a splash of the pickle juice or a bit of lemon.