Chef Sandra O’Connor from The Coffee Dock in Valentia Island in County Kerry likes to use fresh food, locally sourced and preferably from Valentia Island. ‘I don’t do complicated dishes, but I like to highlight the top quality seafood and local produce we have here’, she says.

Serves 4

1kg potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
100g butter (you need enough for the potatoes, to fry the scallops and prawns and to make the sauce)
60ml milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 large Quinlan’s langoustine prawns
12 Valentia King Scallops
40ml dry white wine
4 spring onions, finely sliced
60ml cream
15g fresh tarragon, chopped finely
Chive flowers to decorate

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes and mash, adding butter and milk to make them creamy. Season with salt and black pepper.

2. Pat the prawns dry. Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan. Add the prawns and cook over medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Pat the scallops dry and season. Clean out the frying pan and melt another knob of butter over medium to high heat. Add the scallops and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on size. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Reserve the juice from the scallops.

3. Place the white wine and spring onions in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until well-reduced. Add the cream and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 65g of butter. Stir in the scallop juices from the pan. Stir in two thirds of the tarragon. Season the tarragon sauce to taste with salt and black pepper. Stir the rest of the tarragon into the warm mashed potatoes. Divide the mashed potatoes onto four plates, top with scallops and place the prawns on the plate. Drizzle with the tarragon cream sauce, add chive flowers (if you are using them) and serve.