2 egg yolks
1 cup plus 2 tbsps olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
1 1/4 tsp toasted [ground] coriander (dry fry whole seeds in a small frying pan with the cumin seeds till lightly browned, then grind)
3/4 tsp toasted [ground] cumin (dry fry whole seeds in a small frying pan with the coriander till lightly browned, then grind)
1/2 tsp hot paprika (or mix a little cayenne pepper with regular paprika)
2 bunches asparagus, tough ends trimmed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
30 large diver/sea scallops (or 3-5 per person as a main course)

Pre-heat an oven to 360F.

In a bowl whisk the egg yolks. While whisking vigorously add the 1 cup of olive oil at a slow drizzle, keeping the mixture thick as you whisk. Whisk in the garlic, half the lemon juice, salt coriander, cumin and paprika. If the aioli is too thick, add more lemon juice. Cover the aioli with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30mins.

In a bowl, toss the asparagus with 1 tbsp olive oil , salt and pepper. Place in a baking tray lined with tin foil and roast in the oven for 20mins. Drizzle with half lemon juice when cooked.

Season the scallops lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. In a frying pan, over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil until just smoking. Add the scallops and cook 3-4mins per side, till nicely caramelized and opaque throughout.

Serve on a platter or individual plates.

Serves 6.