Create a fine dining experience for your beloved this Valentine’s Day. It takes a little time, but your labour of love will be worth it!

This recipe is taken from Galley – The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity Cookbook, out now. More details below.

Preparation Time: 1hr
Cooking Time: 1hr 30min
Serves 4 

1. For the scallops: First, mix the curry powder and salt into the softened butter.
2. Lightly dust the scallops with salt and pepper, just enough to liberally cover each side, then sear them in a hot pan with a little oil. Do not move or shake the pan, leave them for about 1min, then turn the scallops over. The cooked side should now be golden brown. Leave for another 1min then add 1tsp of the curried butter. Turn the scallops over again after 30sec and baste with the frothing butter, then place on kitchen paper to rest for 10-20sec before serving. 
3. I like to dry the scallop roe out in the oven – either until cooked and then dice it, or dried completely then blended to a powder, to be added to the butter sauce for maximum flavour. 
4. For the artichoke purée: Peel and dice the artichokes, then put into a saucepan with 1 litre of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20min until soft.
5. Drain thoroughly (reserving some cooking water) and transfer to a blender. Add the double cream and a little cooking water, then blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning, then push the purée through a fine sieve to get a really smooth texture.  
6. For the artichoke crisps: Peel the artichoke then slice on a mandolin, or as thinly as possible using a very sharp knife. Deep fry the slices in the oil at 175°C until they start to colour, then remove and drain on paper towels. Serve once cool. 
7. For the butter sauce: Sweat the shallot with a little butter in a hot pan until soft, but do not let it colour. Add the white wine vinegar and reduce the volume of liquid until a syrupy consistency is achieved.
8. Stir in the double cream, then bring to the boil and reduce the volume of liquid by half. Take the pan off direct heat and gradually add the cold cubed butter while stirring constantly.
9. Taste the sauce and season with salt and ground white pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, fold in the chopped chives and cooked scallop roe, then serve immediately. 
10. For the greens: Bring 300ml of water and the butter to the boil in a wide saucepan. Add a pinch of salt. Drop in the wild garlic and spinach and stir for 40-50sec. Drain in a colander then place on paper towels for 20sec to remove the excess liquid. Squeeze out the remaining moisture and serve immediately.

Galley – The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity Cookbook

Britain has a rich naval history, with food often playing a central role. Celebrating the traditions and innovations of this unique culinary world is Galley – The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity Cookbook. Thanks to the sponsorship of ESS Defence, all proceeds from the sale of every copy will go towards the charity’s work in support of serving personnel, veterans and their families.

Galley contains contributions from 20 professional chefs with a link to the Royal Navy. Each has shared a starter, main and dessert – some from competition-winning menus – alongside their journey through active service and beyond. There’s also a seven-hour lamb recipe from Michel Roux Jr, who served in the French military.

Meze Publishing,  240-page HB, £25. Available from Waterstones.com and the Royal Navy online shop.