1 cup fish stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound sea scallops, tough muscles removed
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound fresh linguine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
3 ounces golden caviar
Garnish: 12 fresh tarragon leaves and 12 small fresh basil leaves
Boil the fish stock in a large saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 4 minutes). Add the cream and, being areful not to let the cream boil, simmer ntil reduced to 1/2 cup (about 6 minutes).
Prepare grill for cooking.
Pat scallops dry and season them with salt and pepper. Grill the scallops on a lightly oiled rack until just cooked through (1 to 2 minutes per side). Transfer scallops, as cooked, to a covered plate and keep them warm.
Cook linguine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta in a colander. Return to the pot and toss it with the cream sauce, 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, and the lemon juice; add salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat until hot (adding more liquid if necessary, a tablespoon at a time).
Serve the pasta mounded on plates. Top with scallops and caviar. Garnish with tarragon and basil. Makes 4 servings.
"Comfort Me With Apples" by Ruth Reichl
Thursday, May 10, 2001
