- serves 4
Genevieve Guy, owner of Bistro 555, has restaurants in her blood. Born in Saverne, Alsace, the region in France bordering Germany, both her maternal grandfather Jean Clauss (1909-1976) and great-grandfather Eugene Clauss (1878-1964) were chefs, and eventually worked together at l’Hotel Moulin du Griffon, a hotel with a café and a fine dining restaurant that Eugene opened. During the last year of World War II, both were deported to Buchenwald, but both survived 16 months in captivity. What also survived were some of the chefs amazing recipes.
This recipe is one of Genevieve’s grandpa’s recipes. The scallops would get on a train in Brittany at night and usually arrive in Alsace the next morning (this was back in the 1950s/60s).
It was considered a luxury dish, because it came from far away. It would be served in fall and winter (the transport was better), and we always had leeks and carrots in the garden. Genevieve, whose first job was as a waitress at her grandpa’s hotel and came to the US in 2001 to work at Bistro Provence and eventually became its owner, is proud to serve this dish at the new iteration, of the restaurant, Bistro 555, whose menu has broadened to include cuisine from all of France, including her beloved Alsace.
Ingredients
Scallops
- 16 scallops
- salt
- cracked pepper
- 1 tbsp blended oil
Carrot Sauce
- 2 tbsp blended oil
- 5 carrots, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 9 tbsp butter (little over 1/2)
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 qt. chicken stock
- salt and pepper
Leeks
- 2 leeks, ends and hard green leaves removed
- 2 tbsp butter
- salt
- cracked black pepper
Directions
- Heat blended oil in pan over medium high heat, when hot add the carrots and onion. Once the onions are golden, add the garlic, thyme, white wine and chicken stock. Reduce the temperature and let simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into blender. With blender running, slowly add the butter to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
- Wash leeks thoroughly and cut lengthwise in small strings. Cook in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Strain the leeks to remove all water and sear in butter. Season and keep warm.
- Heat oil in pan, season scallops with salt and pepper and sear for 2 minutes per side.
Plating
- For each plate, ladle a line of carrot sauce in the center of each plate, top with 4 bundle/nests of leeks and top each nest with a seared scallop. Any plate will do but the dish looks best on a white plate. Serve immediately. Bon appétit!
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