Seared Scallops With Creamy Spinach And Leeks

I am kind of cheating with the declutter war today.  I had frozen scallops, not really an item I needed to get rid of, but it will still count.  I had the smaller bay or Patagonian scallops (as they seem to be called now) so I used those instead of the sea scallops.  Other than that, my only deviation from the following recipe was that I chopped the spinach before cooking and I used 2 large leeks and had way more than one cup.  The creamy spinach and leeks were awesome!  My husband called it the star of the dish.  It was easy and pretty quick.  The boys ate the kasha from the night before as a starch; I just had this.  The only issue with the dish is the price tag is not an everyday kind of price.  Scallops and leeks aren't cheap, but for an every once in a while dish, it is workable;).  A solid 4 (to 4.5)


Seared Scallops With Creamy Spinach And Leeks

2    -1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
12 oz baby spinach (about 12 loosely packed cups)
2    medium leeks (white and light-green parts only),halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise,and rinsed (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt
2    large cloves garlic,minced
1/3 c  dry white wine
1/3 c  heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2    Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
16    large dry-packed sea scallops
4 t  vegetable oil

Melt 1/2 Tbs. of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high
heat. Add half of the spinach and cook, tossing with tongs, until just
wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer with tongs to a colander set over a
bowl; let drain and cool slightly. Repeat with the remaining spinach
(you dont need to add more butter). Squeeze handfuls of the spinach to
release as much liquid as possible.
Discard any liquid in the skillet. Melt the remaining 2 Tbs. butter
over medium heat and then add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook until
softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook,
stirring, for 1 minute more. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium
high,  and cook until almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the cream
and simmer until its thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 2
minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt, a generous grind of pepper, and the
nutmeg. Stir in the cheese and gently fold in the spinach. Keep warm.
Pat the scallops dry and remove the side muscle if still attached. In a
12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. of the oil over medium heat until
shimmering hot. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Add half of
the scallops to the pan and cook, undisturbed, until browned on the
bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until just opaque in
the center, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and tent with
foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tsp. of oil and the
scallops. Serve the scallops over the spinach.