Rebecca Charles’ Taylor Bay Scallops with Leeks & Butter Sauce

This is a great recipe for homecooks because it is an easy way to introduce yourself to cooking seafood at home.

Serves 2

1 small leek
1 cup white wine
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 Nantucket or Taylor Bay Scallops in the shell
1/2 pound cold butter, cut into small pieces

Prepare the leek by trimming off the dark green top and roots, slicing the white part in half lengthwise, and cutting it into 1/4-inch slices. Immerse the leek slices in a bowl of cold water and agitate then to loosen and remove the sand. Skim the leeks out of the water and into a strainer, leaving the sand behind.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the wine to a simmer. Add the leeks and a small pinch of salt and saute for about 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the scallops in the shell and cover the pan tightly. Raise the heat and steam until the shells open, about 3 to 4 minutes. Check them halfway through to make sure there is still liquid in the pan. If not, add more wine or water. When the shells open, leave the leeks in the pan but remove the scallops. Place them in a bowl in a warm place while you make the sauce.

To prepare the simple pan butter sauce, over medium-high heat reduce the liquid in the pan to about 1 tablespoon. Add the chunks of cold butter one piece at a time, whisking constantly. Work quickly, or the sauce will break. Once all the butter has been incorporated, pull it off the heat and season it to taste. Pour the sauce over the scallops and serve.