There are so many ways to enjoy scallops; raw, seared, marinated, poached. I love all the soft textures and silky flavours of this dish when combined with the crispy, salty roe.
Ingredients
- 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced
- 1 carrot, finely sliced
- 100 ml/3½ fl oz/generous ⅓ cup white wine
- 300 ml/10 fl oz/1¼ cups fish stock (see here)
- 12 scallops (North American sea scallops), removed from their shells
- 1 egg yolk
- 100 ml/3½ fl oz/generous ⅓ cup double (heavy) cream
- handful of chives, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp herring roe from a jar
- 2 tbsp salmon caviar (keta) from a jar
- 1 tbsp beet sprouts
- 1 tbsp lemon cress (lemon basil)
- salt and pepper
How to Make It
- Heat the butter in a frying pan (skillet) or large saucepan, add the onion, leek and carrot and fry for 2 minutes until softened, but not browned. Deglaze with the white wine. Let the liquid bubble over a medium-high heat until reduced by two-thirds. Add the stock and simmer gently until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Poach the scallops in the liquid over a low heat for 3–5 minutes, depending on their thickness. If the scallops are not completely immersed in the liquid, turn them over halfway. Lift the scallops out of the pan and cover them with foil to keep warm.
- Strain the cooking liquid into a clean pan. Whisk the egg yolk and cream together in a bowl. Return the liquid to the heat and bring back to the boil. When boiling, reduce the heat to low and whisk in the egg and cream mixture. Heat the sauce without letting it boil again, add the chives and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the scallops between four deep plates and pour the soup over. Using a small teaspoon, divide the herring roe and salmon caviar between the servings. Garnish with beet sprouts and lemon cress (lemon basil).
