Clean the leeks thoroughly, then slice them thinly into a chiffonade.

Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the shallot, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the leeks and Champagne, season with salt and pepper to taste, and let “sweat” 10 to 15 minutes, until the leeks are tender.

In a separate pan, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and sear the scallops 1 minute on each side. Be sure not to overcook the scallops (if you do they’ll taste like rubber). Season with salt to taste.

Spread the leeks on a serving dish, and top with the scallops. Drizzle with the Champagne sauce, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately


Note: Serve the remaining Champagne (or dry white wine) as an accompanying beverage. Another option is to replace parsley with salmon roe or—if you want to splurge for a special occasion—Caviar, about 1/2 teaspoon on each scallop.