Scallops and leeks are a popular French combination, found ubiquitously on French bistro menus from when scallops first appear on menus in October, through to the season’s end in May. The two make a brilliant marriage – the leeks serving as a sweet flavorful background to the dense, meaty scallops. Here, drained yogurt adds richness and a touch of acid. If you’re looking for a new kitchen project, homemade kumquat confit takes this dish to a whole new level, but you can easily sub this out for good-quality store-bought candied citrus if making your own isn’t on the cards. Shower with fresh herbs and you’ll have a dish worthy of any Parisian bistro.    

Nourish notes: Scallops are a great sustainable seafood choice because they feed on natural plankton in the water so they require no external food source. They also tend to be native to the areas they are farmed in so don’t cause imbalances in the marine ecosystems, and don’t require chemicals or antibiotics. Monteray Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch (whose app is really useful) lists nearly all scallops – domestic, imported, farmed and wild – as ‘best choice’ for sustainable seafood. Just be careful to avoid scallops that have been caught using the dredging method, that drags two-ton steel frames with chainmail collecting ‘nets’ behind them, causing huge damage to the seabed habitat and other species. Opt for hand dived scallops which are a much less damaging way of collecting the shellfish.

Sea Scallops with leeks, herbs and kumquat confit

4 servings   |   Equipment: a 5-quart pasta pot fitted with a colander, a large skillet, with a lid; a large nonstick skillet; a splatter guard; a 4-inch (10 cm) pastry cutter; a large slotted spoon;  4 warmed dinner plates

Ingredients

8 leeks, white portion only (keep the green ends for stock)
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1/4 cup (60 ml) drained full-fat organic sheep’s milk yogurt
8 large sea scallops (1 1/2 to 2-inches in diameter)
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Several tablespoons Classic Vinaigrette (recipe below)
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh summer savory or tarragon leaves
Kumquat Confit (recipe below)
Fleur de sel

Method

1.  Trim, rinse and halve the leeks lengthwise. Cut into thin half-moon
slices.

2.  Prepare a large bowl of ice water.

 3.  Fill a 5-quart pasta pot fitted with a colander with 3 quarts of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of salt and the leeks. Blanche until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Immediately remove the colander from the water, allow the water to drain from the leeks, and plunge the colander with the leeks into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible. (The leeks will cool in 1 minute. If you leave them longer, they will become soggy and begin to lose flavor). Drain the leeks and wrap them in a thick towel to dry. (The leeks can be cooked several hours in advance. Keep them wrapped in the towel at room temperature.)

 4.  Gently and lightly rinse the scallops and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the little muscle on the side of the scallop and discard. 

5.  At serving time, place the leeks in a large skillet and reheat, adding enough yogurt to evenly coat the leeks. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

 6.  In the non-stick skillet, sear the scallops (using a splatter guard) over high heat just until they brown around the edges, about 1 minute on each side. Season each side after it has cooked. (Cooking time will vary according to the size of the scallops. For scallops that are cooked all the way through, sear for 2 minute or more on each side.) 

7.  On a warmed plate, place the metal pastry cutter in the center, to serve as a mold for the leeks. With the slotted spoon, drain the leeks and arrange in the pastry cutter, pressing down on the leeks. Continue with the remaining servings. Top each with the seared scallops. Drizzle lightly with the vinaigrette. Garnish with herbs and kumquat confit. Season with fleur de sel. Serve.

WINE SUGGESTION: Look for a buttery white wine that has a touch of creaminess. Try the 100% Chardonnay Chablis Domain Bessin, cuvée Montmains. It’s a wine with a highly developed nose, a touch of fattiness, and great expression.  

Kumquat Confit

Makes 1 cup (125 ml)

Ingredients

2 cups (300 g) kumquats
1 ½ cups (250 g) organic cane sugar
1 cup (125 ml) water
½ cup (60 ml) organic lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger or dried ginger powder
1 whole cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Method

1.  Rinse, and halve all of the kumquats lengthwise. Very carefully remove as many
seeds as you can, using a small sharp knife. (This can easily take 15 minutes or more!)

2.  In a large saucepan, combine the kumquats and the remaining ingredients and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

3. Place the saucepan with the kumquats over medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Strain out the kumquats and inspect for any recalcitrant seeds. Remove them! Return the fruit to the sauce. Transfer to an airtight container. Serve as a side condiment to cheese, on toast, with cooked poultry or scallops! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.  

Classic Vinaigrette

Makes about 1 1/4 cups    |   Equipment: A small jar with a lid

Ingredients

2 tablespoons best-quality sherry-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons best-quality red-wine vinegar
Fine sea salt to taste
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1.     In the jar, combine the vinegars and salt. Cover with the lid and shake to dissolve the salt. Add the oil and shake to blend. Taste for seasoning. The dressing can be used immediately. (Store the vinaigrette at room temperature or in the refrigerator for several weeks. Shake to blend again before using.)

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
© 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Find our more here about why we created this series.