Seared scallops with leeks & lemon chilli butter

This makes a beautiful starter dish, and if you are looking for something special, perhaps for a birthday, anniversary or Valentines Day ... then this dish may be just what you need! It's scallops with a bit of lemon and chilli ... plus, they are ready in a flash... how perfect is that!

Here is what you'll need to serve four:

(obviously amend amount of ingredients to suit)

4 young, but not baby leeks, trimmed
12 scallop, roes on or off
1 tbsp light olive oil

lemon wedges to serve

For the butter:

250g pack butter, softened
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic clove, crushed
zest 2 lemons
bunch parsley, leaves chopped, plus extra to serve

Here is what you do:

1. For the butter, mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, then beat well with a wooden spoon until there are no lumps of butter left. Spoon onto a large sheet of cling film, then wrap tightly in a sausage shape. Chill until firm (or put in the freezer if you’re short of time).
2. Set up a pan with a steamer or suspend a heatproof colander over the top of a pan. Cut the leeks in half lengthways, then slice into long strips, about the thickness of tagliatelle. Cover, then steam for 6 mins until tender, with no signs of squeakiness. Season, then set aside.
3. Dry the scallops on kitchen paper and season. Heat a heavy-based pan, then add the oil. Once hot, add the scallops, keeping them close together – this helps the sides to stay straight and tall rather than sagging. Sizzle for 2 mins until caramelised and you can see the heat creeping up the outside. Turn over with a palette knife, then fry for 1 min more. Take off the heat, then add a few good slices of the butter to the pan, spooning over the scallops as it melts.
4. To serve, wind a nest of warm leeks in the centre of 4 plates, top each with 3 scallops, spoon over the buttery sauce (it looks smart trickled around the plate), then sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Squeeze over a little lemon juice before you tuck in.

Tip:

The leftover butter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, or can be frozen in portions for up to a month. Try it tossed though pasta or courgetti, also nice with crab-meat or prawns, and why not stir it through some steamed green vegetables!

Original idea here and see more about scallops here

Enjoy ...

All the best Jan