SCALLOPS WITH SWEET PEPPERS AND LIME

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into julienne strips (1-inch-long, 1/8-inch-wide)
• 4 scallions, roots trimmed and greens chopped on the diagonal about 1-inch long
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine
• 1 pound bay scallops (or sea scallops)
• 1 ½ tablespoons (Pernod or Ricard, optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high setting.  Add the red pepper and the scallions and sauté for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season generously with salt and pepper.  After 5 minutes add the wine and stir.

2.  When the red pepper and scallions are nearly cooked, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat in a separate pan.

3. Add the Scallops, Pernod, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, shaking the pan occasionally.  Add the contents of this pan to the first pan and mix well. Cook for another minute over high heat. Serve immediately with rice or couscous.

(Serves 2-4)

"I first met Bryan when he wrote a New York Times article that described Stew Leonard’s as “The Disneyland of Dairy Stores.” He’s been a family friend for over 40 years. I love talking to him about food – as the newspaper’s restaurant critic he has dined out more than 5,000 times. He is a fountain of food and wine knowledge. Check out this recurring page for more recipes, tips, and stories from him!" - Blake

Sea Scallops
North Atlantic sea scallops spawn several times a year, and now is one of them (farmed scallops, of course, are a different matter). There are 400 species of scallops in the world's oceans, although a small percentage are harvested commercially. The most familiar are the calico, bay and ocean scallops. As seen in the sea scallops recipe here, they call for very little cooking.

Pernod
Pernod and Ricard are trade names for two kinds of French anise-flavored liqueurs. In the south of France, they are cut with water as an apéritif. They are also used in cooking. Ricard is the sweeter of the two.