Scallop Tartare with Smoked Australian Avocado

• 4 Abrolhos Island scallops
• 2 Australian avocado
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 10g dijon mustard
• 50ml cold pressed organic avocado oil
• 50g toasted, peeled hazelnuts 
• 20ml hazelnut oil 
• 5g confit eschallot 
• 5ml sherry vinegar
• 1 sprig lemon thyme, leaves carefully picked 
• 20g Applewood chips
• murray river pink salt

For the smoked avocado:

1. Quarter and deseed the avocado. 
2. Set up a cold smoker with 2 gastro trays. Place the wood chips into some foil on one side of a gastro tray. Burn with a blow torch until smoking. 
3. Place the avocado onto a half cooling rack and place at the opposite end of the gastro tray. Place the second gastro tray on top as a lid. 
4. Smoke the avocado for 3 mins. 
5. Peel the avocado and place in a blender with the dijon, lime zest and avocado oil. 
6. Blend into a smooth, luscious puree. Season with lime juice and salt. 
7. Set aside in the fridge. 

For the hazelnut vinaigrette:

1. Finely chop the toasted hazelnuts. 
2. Mix together with the confit eschallot, hazelnut oil, sherry vinegar and lemon thyme leaves. 
3. Keep at room temp. 

For the scallops:

1. Remove the scallop from the shell. 
2. Clean the shell and reserve.
3. Carefully dice the scallop into a tartare, approx 5mm x 5mm. 

To serve:

1. Place a neatly folded napkin onto your service plate. 
2. In a small bowl, dress the scallop meat with the hazelnut vinaigrette. Season with salt. 
3. Lay the scallop shell on a service tray, spoon a teaspoon worth of smoked avocado into the middle of the shell. 
4. Cover with the scallop meat, keeping it nice and neat. 
5. Place the loaded shell onto the plated napkin and serve.