Seared Scallops with Leeks with a Shrimp Butter

Put the shrimps in a blender and quickly reduce to a paste. Melt the butter over a low heat, stir in the shrimps and season with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper (if required) to make a shrimp butter  Picture  , take off the heat and put to one side. Top and tail the leeks and cut into thinnish slices.

Detach and discard any corals from the scallops, and wash and dry with some kitchen paper. Paint with a little olive oil and season liberally with salt and (preferably) freshly ground white pepper.

Saute the leeks in a couple of tablespoonfuls or so of the shrimp butter stirring from time to time until fairly soft. Take off the heat and season if necessary, and spoon into the scallop shells  Picture  .

Put a couple of tablespoonfuls of olive oil into a frying pan over a medium high heat. Sear the scallops quickly for no more than two minutes per side. Put the scallops on to the leeks two per shell, and put into the oven at 425°F/210°C/Reg7 for about four minutes. Serve immediately  Zoom  .