Name: Seared Scallops with Pea Purée, Crispy Bacon, and Mint Oil
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 225 g (8 ounces) English garden peas, shelled weight; 4 leaves of mint; salt and pepper; 55 g (2 ounces) unsalted butter; 6 slices good-quality streaky bacon, rind removed and cut into thirds; 18 large king scallops (preferably Cornish), with muscle and roe removed; Maldon sea salt; Mild olive oil, for frying; 100 ml (3 1/2 fluid ounces) mild olive oil; 3 large sprigs mint, stems removed; 1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) caster (superfine) sugar; 100 ml (3 1/2 fluid ounces) light olive oil; 15 ml (1 tablespoon) white wine vinegar; 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) runny honey; Salad leaves such as frisée or lamb's lettuce

Editor's note: Steve Reynolds' recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from author Diana Henry's book The Gastropub Cookbook, a guide to more than 150 dining pubs in Britain and Ireland. Chef Reynolds also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.

This combination has now become a bit of a classic, but Steve has put his signature on it with the mint oil. You must use the oil on the same day it's made or the mint will discolour.

Recipe notes

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.

Île Flottante

Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.

Spice-Grilled Pork Chops

A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.

Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio

Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.

Wampanoaug Clam Fritters

The clams’ natural briny sweetness serves as a surprising foil for the tender fritter batter—just be sure to pull off the tough outer coating of the siphon.

Oven-Fried Shrimp

Kewpie Mayonnaise is the ultimate secret ingredient to creating a perfect oven-baked battered-and-fried crunch without a deep fryer.

Zucchini, Pea, and Bulgur Pilaf

This fragrant salad uses bulgur wheat as its base, an endlessly versatile, slightly chewy grain that’s very popular throughout the eastern Mediterranean.