Scotland is renowned for its exceptional seafood, and at 18, the rooftop restaurant located in Rusacks, St Andrews, we take pride in showcasing the finest local ingredients. Our scallops, sourced from David Lowrie Fish Merchants, exemplify this commitment to quality. This dish is perfect as a starter for a romantic evening and is sure to impress your guests.

Serves two

• 500g unsalted butter • 100g XO sauce (which can be found at local Chinese markets, larger supermarkets, or online) • Zest of 4 lemons • Oil for frying • 2 extra-large scallops, shucked with the skirts removed, shells reserved • 10g samphire • Rock salt for serving

1. Begin by preparing the XO butter: using a stand mixer or electric beaters, combine the butter and XO sauce until smooth. Incorporate the lemon zest, then shape into logs, wrap in clingfilm, and refrigerate. This butter can be stored for up to one week.

2. Rinse the scallop meat in ice water and lay them on a tray with the flat side facing up. Allow them to dry in the refrigerator for one hour.

3. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Season the scallops with rock salt and heat some oil in a nonstick frying pan. Add the scallops to the pan and cook until one side turns golden brown, then flip and cook for an additional minute. As the scallops near completion, add 50g of the XO butter and baste them. Simultaneously, blanch the samphire in the boiling water for 30 seconds.

4. To serve, place a cleaned scallop shell on a bed of rock salt in the center of each plate. Transfer the scallops from the pan to the shells. Drain the samphire from the boiling water.

5. Top the scallops with a slice of XO butter and a portion of samphire before serving.

Graham Paulley is the head chef at 18, located atop the Rusacks hotel in St Andrews.