Irish Butter Poached Scallops With Leeks And Sweet Garden Peas Recipes

LEMON BUTTERED SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place the scallops on a paper towel-lined sheet tray and pat dry. Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper.
• Preheat a large nonstick saute pan on medium-high heat, then add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the scallops and sear on one side until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently turn the scallops over and add the Lemon Butter, basting the scallops by gently spooning the melting butter over the top, for about 1 minute.
• Add the wine and lemon juice and allow the scallops to simmer until they are cooked through, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the scallops to a platter and sprinkle with the chives.
• Combine the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon the butter onto the lower third of a piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the butter and use a spatula to compress the butter into a log about 5 inches long and 2 inches wide. Twist both ends of the plastic wrap to seal the butter inside. Refrigerate the butter until firm, at least 30 minutes, before using.

IRISH BUTTER-POACHED SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS AND SWEET GARDEN PEAS

Steps:

• Make the gremolata: Preheat the oven to 350 Put the bread crumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coast evenly. Spread in a pie pan or small baking sheet and toast for 7-8 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven cool completely. Just before serving, stir in the garlic, lemon zest, and parsley. Prepare leeks and peas: In a saucepan, combine the leek, butter, creme fraiche, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the leeks are a little tender and the sauce is reducing. Add the peas and cook until the vegetables are tender. Prepare the scallops: Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. In a big saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is hot and foamy, add the scallops and poach gently for 3-5 minutes, basting as needed, until just done. They are ready when they feel just firm to the touch. To serve, spoon the vegetables into individual deep plates or shallow soup bowls and top with the scallops. Add the lemon zest and juice to the butter from the scallop pan, then drizzle over the scallops. Sprinkle with some of the gremolata and garnish with water cress. Note on clarified butter: to make clarified butter, melt butter over low heat for 10-15 minutes, until golden but not browned. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve or a coffee filter into a heatproof container, leaving the milk solids behind in the sieve or filter.

SCALLOP PIE (IRISH)

Steps:

• Clean the scallops and cut in half, then simmer in the milk for 15 minutes.
• Strain, reserving the liquid.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and stir in the flour, cook for about a minute, stirring, then add the milk gradually, stirring all the time to avoid lumps.
• Season with salt and pepper, add the sliced mushrooms and simmer for about 10 minutes longer; then add the sherry or wine and finally the scallops.
• When hot, transfer to an ovenproof dish and cover with mashed potatoes, making sure they cover the fish right to the edges.
• Dot with the remaining butter and bake in a moderate oven, 350F, for 20-30 minutes, or until the top is turning brown.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS & LEMON CHILLI BUTTER

Steps:

• 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.

SCALLOPS WITH SNOW PEAS

Steps:

• Mix cornstarch, soy sauce and water. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry scallops until firm and opaque, 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan., In same pan, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry snow peas, leeks and ginger until peas are just crisp-tender, 4-6 minutes. Stir cornstarch mixture; add to pan. Cook and stir until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Add scallops; heat through. Serve with rice.

BUTTER-POACHED ASPARAGUS, LEEKS & PEAS

Steps:

• Bring 100ml water to a simmer in a saucepan, add a pinch of salt and whisk in the butter. Drop in the leeks, cook for 2 mins,then add the asparagus and peas, and cook for 2 mins more. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and mint.
• To serve, remove the veg from the emulsion with a slotted spoon, then spoon over some of the buttery poaching juices.

SEA SCALLOPS POACHED IN WHITE WINE

Steps:

• For 1 1/2 pounds whole scallops. Simmer 1/2 tablespoon minced shallots for 3 minutes with 1/3 cup each of dry white French vermouth and water plus 1/2 teaspoon salt and a small imported bay leaf. Then add the scallops and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, just until lightly springy to the touch. Remove from heat and let cool in the liquid at least 10 minutes, to pick up its flavor. Remove scallops, discard bay leaf, and rapidly boil down liquid until almost syrupy.
• serving suggestions: fines herbes
• Stir fresh minced parsley and/or dill, tarragon or chives into the reduced liquid, and briefly reheat scallops, folding in, if you wish, a few tablespoons of heavy cream.
• provençal-with tomatoes
• Stir 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped fresh tomatoes (see box, page 30) and 1 large clove of minced garlic into the reduced liquid. Cover and simmer 5 minutes, then uncover and boil down rapidly to thicken. Season. Fold in the scallops and reheat briefly. Fold in minced parsley or other green herbs and serve.
• Note
• Simmering times for quartered sea scallops and bay scallops, 15 to 30 seconds; for calicos, bring just to the simmer.

IRISH SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add scallops and cook, in batches, for 5 minutes, until just opaque. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Add the bacon to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes, until it starts to brown.
• Add the onion, celery, carrots and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften.
• Add thyme and 2 tablespoons of the parsley to the vegetables. Pour in broth and cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• Remove thyme sprigs; discard. Lightly crush some of the vegetables with the back of a wooden spoon. This will help thicken the liquid. Pour in the scalded milk.
• Add the scallops and mixed cooked seafood to the pan. Cook until heated through but do not let mixture boil.
• Check seasonings, and add lemon juice.
• Ladle into warm bowls and sprinkle with remaining parsley.