12 ounces asparagus
6 large sea scallops
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 fat scallion, the white part with a little green, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley or chervil
Grated zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon
Splash of white wine
1. If the asparagus is thick, peel the stalks. Don't bother doing that with thin asparagus. Slice the spears diagonally up to the tips (if you're doing this well in advance, put the asparagus in a bowl, cover with a damp towel, and refrigerate until you're ready to cook). Peel off the opaque muscle of the scallops, if any is evident, and discard.
2. When ready to cook, put up to eight cups of water to boil for the asparagus. Add salt, then add the asparagus and boil until tender, about three minutes. Drain the spears just before they're ready as they'll continue cooking in their heat, then return them to the pan and toss with a little of the butter and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Simultaneously, melt a tablespoon of the butter in a skillet. When the foam subsides, add the scallops. Cook over medium-high heat until golden on the bottom, about two minutes, then turn and cook the other side. When done, divide the asparagus between warm plates, then nestle the scallops on top.
4. Add the remaining butter, scallion, herbs, and lemon zest to the pan, allow the butter to melt and foam, then add the splash of wine and a squeeze of lemon and let it all sputter and boil. After about 30 seconds, turn off the heat, add a little pepper, and spoon the sauce over the scallops and asparagus. Serve with crusty bread to capture the juices.
- From What We Eat When We Eat Alone, by Deborah Madison and Patrick McFarlin (Gibbs Smith, 2009)
Per serving: 222 calories, 17 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams sugar, 14 grams fat, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 416 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.
Contact staff writer Dianna Marder at 215-854-4211 or dmarder@phillynews.com. Read her recent work at www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/dianna_marder/.
