Scallops and Leeks with Pastis (Pernod)
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 min.
The kind of dish for special occasions. A quick sauté of scallops and leeks flavored with a Marseillaise specialty, the pastis, an anise drink better known by the name Pernod or Ricard. If you decide to serve the scallops along other dishes, it is wiser to prepare them before. The dish requires very little preparation time.
If you prefer, ask your fishmonger to leave the scallop corals or roe attached. They have a bright orange color and are edible. Highly prized in France and the United Kingdom but not widely consumed in the United States.
Overcooking scallops will turn them chewy and make them loose their fine flavor.
Ingredients
- 750 gr (1 1/2 lbs) scallops, corals or roe attached (optional)
- 3-4 tbsp flour to dredge the scallops
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, about 1/2 cup finely chopped
- 3 leeks stalks, about 3 cups finely chopped
- 60 ml (about 1/4 cup ) dry white wine
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
- 500 ml (2 cups) Crème Fraîche or sour cream
- salt ad freshly ground pepper
- 1-2 tbsp anise flavored liqueur, such as Pernod or Ricard
Preparation:
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and sauté onion for about 3-4 minutes. Add leeks and continue sautéing for about 5 minutes more or until leeks begin to soften. Add dry wine and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes longer, stirring often. When sauce has almost cooked down, lower the heat to a simmer and add the Crème Fraîche or sour cream. Stir well until Crème Fraîche is well incorporated to the leek sauce. Taste for salt and pepper. Set aside and keep it warm.
Pat scallops dry on paper towels. Place flour in a dish and add salt and pepper. Blend well. Dredge scallops in the flour mix. Shake off the excess. Scatter them onto a paper sheet making sure they do not touch or they might stick together. Scallops must be cooked without crowding, if necessary, do it in two batches.
Heat the 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the floured scallops and sauté for about 1 minute, shaking and tossing until they start to look opaque and light brown on the edges. Add more butter if you judge necessary. Transfer cooked scallops to a warm platter and keep warm.
Return scallops to the saucepan with the leek sauce. If sauce seems too thick, thin it up with a bit of chicken stock. Sprinkle it with a 1-2 tbsp Pastis or any anis flavored liquor. I normally use Pernod or the more upmarket Henri Bardouin. Take it easy on the Pastis so it doesn't overpower the delicate taste of the scallops. Heat it briefly but do not let it come to a boil.
Serve on its own with a crusty bread to soak the tasty sauce.