Main Courses

Pan- seared scallops with Asparagus and baby leeks

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 16 asparagus spears, trimmed
• 12 baby leaks
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 handful of fresh marjoram or summer savory, leaves picked
• 1 lemon
• 12 large scallops, trimmed
• 2 pinches five-spice powder
• butter

Directions:

Blanch your asparagus and leeks in salted boiling water for a couple of minutes or until just tender and drain.  Get a large, nonstick frying pan hot, then drizzle with olive oil.  Cook your asparagus and leeks in batches if need be -- they should cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer.  Season and cook until lightly colored on all sides.  Remove to a bowl and rip over half your herbs.  Add a squeeze of lemon juice.  Leave to one side while you cook your scallops.

Get the same pan nice and hot, score the scallops halfway through in a criss-cross fashion on one side, season them on both sides with some salt, pepper and the five-spice powder drizzle the pan with a few glugs of olive oil and add your scallops.  Fry for a couple of minutes until they are golden, flip them over, add the rest of your herbs and cook for 1 more minute.

While the scallops are cooking, divide your leeks and asparagus between 4 warmed plates.  Remove the pan from the heat and add 2 good pats of butter and the juice of 1/2 the lemon.  Shake the pan about, then put 3 scallops and a little bit of juice on each plate.  Serve immediately.