Irish Butter Poached Scallops With Leeks And Sweet Garden Peas Recipes

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.

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.

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.

BUTTERED PEAS & LEEKS

Steps:

• Gently soften the leeks in butter and oil in your largest pan for 15-20 mins until almost meltingly soft. You can soften the leeks up to a day ahead, then just reheat in the pan before continuing the recipe. Stir in the stock, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins. Stir in the peas and spring onions for 3-5 mins more until the peas are defrosted and cooked through, then season and serve.