SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS & LEMON CHILLI BUTTER

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Seared scallops with leeks & lemon chilli butter image

Scallops love a bit of lemon and chilli plus, they are ready in a flash. The perfect way to impress last-minute guests

Provided by Jane Hornby

Categories     Starter

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 9

4 young, but not baby leeks leeks , trimmed
12 scallops , roes on or off
1 tbsp light olive oil
lemon wedges, to serve
250g pack butter , softened
1 red chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves , crushed
zest 2 lemon
bunch parsley , leaves chopped, plus extra to serve

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 588 calories, Fat 56 grams fat, SaturatedFat 33 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 3 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 2 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 19 grams protein, Sodium 1.47 milligram of sodium

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