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1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large orange 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes 5 large tomatoes or 15 plum tomatoes, skinned and chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 2 pounds sea scallops, trimmed and washed 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/3 cup heavy cream

1. In a large, deep, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 1 minute. 2. Add the orange zest, fennel seed, crushed red pepper and cook another 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes and cook until sauce simmers. Add the tomato paste, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, basil and garlic and simmer another 2 minutes. 3. While the sauce is simmering, cut the scallops in half or quarters, depending on the size of the scallops. Add the scallops to the simmering sauce and cook until the scallops are barely firm, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the cooked scallops with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl. 4. Bring the sauce in the pan to a boil and boil vigorously for 2 minutes. 5. Meanwhile, whisk the starch with the cream until smooth. Whisk into the boiling sauce and return to a simmer. Pour this sauce over the scallops.

50g/2oz plain flour25g/1oz buckwheat flour1 level tsp ground cinnamon2 eggs1x200ml tub crème fraîche1 large Granny Smith apple2 tbsp calvadosTo make the pancakes:50g/2oz melted butterTo serve:caster sugar2 tbsp calvadosdouble cream, well chilledYou will also need a small, solid frying pan.

Begin by peeling and coring the apple then cut it into quarters and grate it on the coarse side of the grater into a bowl. Then toss the grated apple around in 2 tbsp calvados and leave it aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, buckwheat flour and cinnamon into a bowl. Then in a separate bowl or jug, whisk the eggs and crème fraîche together, then gradually whisk this into the flour mixture using an electric hand whisk until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. Then stir in the apple and calvados.Before you make the pancakes put a large plate in a warm oven or a warming-drawer so that as you make them they can be kept warm, covered with some foil.To make the pancakes, melt the butter in the frying pan, then tip it into a cup. To make your first pancake, heat the pan over a medium heat until it is really hot then use 1 tbsp of the batter to make each pancake, cook until it becomes crisp at the edges and is a lovely golden colour underneath, then, using a palette knife or spatula, turn the crêpe over and cook the other side until crisp and golden (this should take about 45 seconds on each side.)Remove the crêpe to a warm plate. Use a wodge of kitchen paper to lubricate the pan again with melted butter, then continue cooking the pancakes until the batter is all used up. When you are ready to serve the pancakes, transfer them to warmed serving plates, giving each person three or four, lightly dusted with caster sugar. Then combine the cream and calvados, put a little on each serving and hand the rest round separately. For a special occasion you could flame these by leaving them piled on a large plate, dusting with caster sugar, then warming 3 tbsp of calvados in a small pan - light it with a match and pour the flaming calvados over the pancakes. When the flame has died down serve each person three or four pancakes with pouring cream, served separately.

Lamb and Orange Khoresh - 4 organic oranges, about 700 grams (1 1/2 pounds) total - 30g (2 tablespoons) butter - 2 tablespoons sugar - 1 tablespoon olive oil - 1.8 kilos (4 pounds) lamb, half from the shoulder and half from the neck (bone-in), cut into 4-cm (1 1/2-inch) cubes - 400 grams (14 ounces) yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon - 4 pods green cardamom, smashed with the blade of a knife - a pinch saffron threads (optional) - 1 lime - 600 grams (1 1/3 pounds) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced - 2 tablespoons orange flower water - 40 grams (1/3 cup) unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped - a handful of fresh mint leaves - salt, pepper Serves 6.

Prepare the candied orange peel. Wash 3 of the oranges well and use a vegetable peeler to peel off the very surface of their peel: the goal is to get the orange part and as little of the white as possible. Cut the peel in matchstick-size strips (I use kitchen shears). Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan, add the orange peel and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and return to the pan. Add the butter, sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Melt over medium heat and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the pan smells like salted butter caramel and the strips are lightly browned. Don't overcook or they will be bitter. Lift the peels from the pan with tongs or a slotted spoon, letting the melted butter drip down, and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to cool. Reserve the butter that remains at the bottom of the pan. (This can be made a day ahead.)

Cook the stew. Heat the oil and reserved butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use my cast-iron cocotte) over medium heat. Add the meat without crowding (you may have to work in two batches) and cook for a few minutes on each side until browned. Set aside on a plate. Pour in a little water to deglaze the bottom of the pot, add the onions, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook for a few minutes, until soft. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron, and cook for a minute to toast the spices. In the meantime, squeeze the juice from the lime and 2 of the oranges (one of them now naked). Return the meat to the pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour in the citrus juices, and add a little water so the liquids almost cover the meat but not quite. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every once in a while. Add the carrots 30 minutes before the end of the cooking. Segment the 2 remaining oranges and add the segments to the pot 10 minutes before the end of the cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the orange flower water at the last minute, and serve with basmati rice (I opted for brown basmati rice) and a sprinkle of candied orange peel, pistachios, and mint cut into strips -- I just passed these toppings around in small bowls for each guest to help himself.

Peacamole - 300 grams (10 1/2 ounces, 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon) shelled green peas, frozen or fresh but not canned - 1 drop cilantro essential oil for cooking, or a small bunch fresh cilantro - 2 tablespoons whole almond butter (like peanut butter but made with unblanched almonds; look for it at natural foods stores) - 1 clove garlic, minced (optional) - 1 dash Tabasco sauce - Salt, black pepper Makes enough for an appetizer for 4.

Steam the peas for 14 minutes, or until tender, and let cool to just above room temperature. If you're using fresh cilantro, pluck the leaves and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the peas, almond butter, cilantro (essential oil or fresh leaves), garlic if using, Tabasco sauce, a little salt and some pepper. Process until smooth. If the mixture is a bit too thick for the blade of the food processor to mix properly, add just a little bit of water, a teaspoon at a time, until soft enough to mix. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spread on pieces of multigrain crispbread and serve. The peacamole can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge in an airtight container; it will keep for 2 to 3 days. Recipe originally developed for ELLE à table, issue #63, March/April 2009.