Sauce for 4
3tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp water
3 organic egg yolks
6oz unsalted butter at room temperature
Seville or blood orange (or sweet orange with a splash of lemon juice)
Peppercorns
Salt
Handful of scallops per person 1 medium leek per person, cut into fine strips
Steam the leeks until soft, then set them aside for last-minute warming. Put vinegar, peppercorns and water on the heat to reduce until 1tbsp only is left. Cool. Add strained liquid to beaten egg yolks. Put a glass cooking basin over a pan of barely simmering water and stir, adding the butter, which should be cut into dice. Keep stirring as each melts into the sauce. When all is melted, continue stirring over very mild heat until the sauce gradually thickens like a mayonnaise would. Then add orange juice and salt to taste. It takes an age, but can be made in advance and just warmed, along with the leeks, while you cook the scallops. These should be sliced horizontally, if large, and fried, a minute each side, in a frying pan just brushed with oil. Make a base of the cooked leeks and pile with scallops, before ladling the sauce over all. A high-class treat.
