Creating delicious dishes for the environment, LittlePod and Peter Gorton have created a series of recipes using LittlePod's real vanilla.

LittlePod Natural Vanilla Paste 100ml is vegan, kosher and gluten free, available from littlepod.co.uk. RRP £15.
LittlePod is on a mission to save the vanilla pod from the very real threat of extinction. With 97% of vanillin used in the west being artificial, the vanilla pod was at risk of being lost within one generation. Most vanilla is grown in Madagascar, which puts it at high-risk due to environmental factors such as storms and drought. Having won a Queen's Award for Sustainable Development, LittlePod created the 'Campaign for Real Vanilla' and its products produced are a vehicle to allow the company to work on community projects in Madagascar and Indonesia, supporting farmers and families in these areas.

Peter Gorton - Vice Chair of the Master Chefs of Great Britain. Having been awarded many national awards including a Michelin Star, Peter is a well known face in the media. A regular contributor to food magazines with three published books, Peter opened a hospitality academy in Plymouth and now runs a hospitality consultancy business.

Serves 4 - Cook/Prep Time 35 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 scallops
• 1 large courgette (blanched for 2 minutes)
• 225g puff pastry

For the red pepper, chocolate and vanilla dressing

• 1 sweet red pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped shallots
• 1 tbsp pitted and chopped nicoise olives (optional)
• 2 tbsp of peeled, seeded, and diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp LittlePod natural vanilla paste
• 2 tsp LittlePod pure chocolate extract
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method:

Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil very slowly so that the mixture will emulsify into a smooth blend, and season to taste.

Puff Pastry Disks – Preheat oven to 375F /190c /fan assisted oven 180°c/gas 5

1. Roll out the puff pastry into a square shape as thin as possible, place between two heavy baking sheets and cook in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown, remove from the oven.
2. Use a cutter to cut out a circle of about 3-4 inches in diameter.
3. Repeat three times and set aside the pastry disks and allow to cool.

Assembling the Pastry Disks

1. Place the four disks onto a baking tray, slice the scallops and courgettes into equal rounds.
2. Place a scallop on the pastry disc and then a courgette and continue to overlap the courgette and scallops until each disk is completely covered.
3. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over a little olive oil.
4. Place under a hot grill for 4 minutes or until the scallops are just cooked.

To Serve

1. Place cooked scallop and courgette pastry disc on warmed starter plates.
2. Spoon some of the pepper dressing around each galette and place a small pile of mixed salad leaves or king prawns in the middle of the galette.

Cooking Tip

Peter Gorton - This dressing will keep for several days refrigerated in a covered jar.

ENDS

For further information, high resolution images or additional expert comment, please contact RAW Food & Drink PR: Emilie Morris - emilie@rawfoodanddrinkpr.co.uk /  07932337016

Hi-res images are available here.

About LittlePod:

LittlePod is owned and operated by Janet Sawyer MBE BEM, who set up the company to promote the use of real vanilla, to help the communities which rely on its cultivation, and conserve the fragile ecosystems in which pure vanilla is grown.

Since LittlePod's launch in Janet's kitchen in May 2010, the company has grown and expanded their range to include coffee and chocolate extract. LittlePod's products have won numerous awards and are used by top chefs around the world. LittlePod was awarded the Queen's Award for Sustainable Development in 2018.

Vanilla is an ideal crop for subsistence farmers. The non-invasive farming techniques needed for cultivation are both nature friendly and also cost effective as they do not require investment in harmful ground clearance or other destructive and expensive agricultural methods.