The Hour

John Quigley, chef-patron of the Red Onion Restaurant in Glasgow, shows how to prepare one of the house specialities, roast shellfish spaghetti, “showcasing what is good and great in Scotland’s larder”.

The dish uses 2lb Scottish lobsters, with tasty, firm flesh, along with some west coast langoustines, hand-dive scallops (not dredged), and mussels.

With the scallops, remove the hinge but leave on the coral – its liver, very tasty.

Season the shellfish with pepper and salt, sprinkle with olive oil, and place in a hot oven – as hot as your oven can go – for 15 to 20 minutes.

Coarsely chop some parsley, including the stalks, lots of it. Smash and chop three cloves of garlic.

Now place the shellfish in a wok or large pan, add butter, squeezed lemon juice – at least one lemon per portion – and the garlic and parsley.

Cook for around a minute, allowing the butter to melt and the garlic to infuse, then add some part-cooked spaghetti. The spaghetti should not be oiled, to allow the cooking juices to be absorbed from the shellfish.

Toss it around in the pan, warm it through, add more olive oil and seasoning – and bon appetit.

http://www.red-onion.co.uk/