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Nigella's Scallops with Thai-scented pea purée

"I love the bouncy sweetness of scallops and, although you might think the equal sweetness of the peas would be too much alongside, the deep flavour of coriander and chilli and the sharpness of lemongrass miraculously provided by the Thai green curry paste make it a zingy and yet still comforting accompaniment. This is a real treat of a supper, both for the eater and the cook."

500g/1lb 2oz frozen petits pois
1-2 tbsp ready-made Thai green curry paste
75g/3oz crème fraîche
sea salt flakes or pouring salt, to taste
2 tsp groundnut or other flavourless oil
2 tsp butter
6 large scallops or 10-12 small scallops, in their shells, preferably diver-caught
1 lime, juice only,plus extra lime wedges to serve
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or Thai basil

Cook the petits pois in boiling, slightly salted water until tender, then drain and tip into a food processor, adding one tablespoon of the curry paste and all of the crème fraîche. Season, to taste, with salt and perhaps add more curry paste, to taste, depending how strong it is. Chill the pea purée in the fridge until needed.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan until foaming, then fry the scallops for 1-2 minutes on each side, depending on their size. When they are cooked, they will have just lost their raw look in the middle and be lusciously tender, while golden and almost caramelised on the outside.

Lift the scallops onto two warmed plates and then de-glaze the hot pan by squeezing in the lime juice. Stir the burned bits in the pan with a wooden spoon to mix well and pick up every scrap of flavour, then pour this over the scallops on each plate.

To serve, dish up the pea purée alongside the scallops, and sprinkle with the chopped coriander or Thai basil. Serve with another wedge of lime, if you feel like it.