
Nutrition and extra info
- Easily doubled / halved
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal588
- fat56g
- saturates33g
- carbs3g
- sugars2g
- fibre2g
- protein19g
- salt1.47g
Ingredients
- 4 young, but not baby leeks leeks, trimmed
Leek
lee-kLike garlic and onion, leeks are a member of the allium family, but have their own distinct…
- 12 scallops, roes on or off
Scallop
Skol-ips, Skal-ipsThis is the bi-valve shellfish with a flat, fanned bottom shell and domed fan shaped upper shell…
- 1 tbsp light olive oil
Olive oil
ol-iv oylProbably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- lemon wedges, to serve
Lemon
le-monOval in shape, with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile fruits…
For the butter
- 250g pack butter, softened
Butter
butt-errButter is made when lactic-acid producing bacteria are added to cream and churned to make an…
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- zest 2 lemon
Lemon
le-monOval in shape, with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile fruits…
- bunch parsley, leaves chopped, plus extra to serve
Parsley
par-sleeOne of the most ubiquitous herbs in British cookery, parsley is also popular in European and…
Method
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).
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.
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.
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.
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