Coquilles Saint Jacques Meunière

This year's harvest of local bay scallops in the Hamptons has begun. They must be cooked in seconds or they will be overcooked and chewy and lose their natural flavor. Cook over high heat.

INGREDIENTS

1 pint (1 pound) scallops
1/4 cup milk
Flour for dredging
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
5 tablespoons peanut, vegetable or corn oil
4 tablespoons butter
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

PREPARATION

1. Empty the scallops into a bowl and add the milk, stirring to coat. Let stand briefly.
2. Place the flour in a dish and add salt and pepper. Blend well. Drain the scallops. Dredge them in flour and add them to a large sieve. Shake to remove excess flour.
3. The scallops must be cooked over high heat without crowding. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet. When the mixture is quite hot but not smoking, add half of the scallops, shaking and tossing them in the skillet so that they cook quickly and evenly until golden brown. Make sure they do not touch.
4. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the scallops to a hot platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and when it is quite hot, add the remaining scallops, shaking and tossing them in the skillet as before. When brown, transfer them to the platter with other scallops. Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining butter and lemon juice and cook until light browned or the color of hazelnuts. Sprinkle over the scallops and sprinkle with parsley.

YIELD

4 servings