I just had to take a photo of the delicious scallops I cooked on the weekend. I heated some olive oil in a small fry-pan and dumped them in along with finely chopped garlic, ginger and coriander root. “One minute each side, turn them over only once and don’t over-cook them,” the helpful man at my local fish shop ordered me. I obeyed the orders and they turned out perfectly. For NZ$15 we had a smoked kahawai and 12 scallops – more than enough for three of us to eat.

“When I was a kid, scallops just washed up on the beach,” my father-in-law reminisced. They don’t do that now so we headed off to what I think is the best fish shop in Auckland – Marsic Brothers in Glen Innes. “They come from the South Island and the season has only just finished so they haven’t been frozen long,” the helpful man assured me.

It made no difference to the taste. Perfectly paired with a 2007 Riesling from Clifford Bay Estate, Marlborough we feasted on the local Kiwi delicacies. I can’t say it’s the best picture I’ve taken but it sure is fun experimenting with my Christmas present. Hope you like it.