LINGUINE WITH CLAMS AND FRESH HERBS

Anitra Earle of Yonkers, New York, writes: "I'm a perfume detective who
hunts down hard-to-find and discontinued scents. One of the benefits of
running my business from home is that I get to cook every day. I
usually make dishes that I've relied on for years, like this linguine
recipe. It takes just minutes to prepare, and as recipes go, it's
practically foolproof."

8 ounces linguine

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 6 1/2-ounce cans chopped clams in juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
18 small clams (such as Manila or tiny littleneck), scrubbed
1/4 cup whipping cream

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still
firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add
garlic and saut=E9 until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add canned clams
with juice, basil, tarragon, and parsley. Add fresh clams. Cover;
reduce heat to medium and cook until clams open, about 6 minutes. Using
tongs, transfer fresh clams to plate (discard any clams that do not
open). Add cooked pasta and cream to sauce in skillet. Toss over
medium-high heat until sauce coats pasta, about 1 minute. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Divide pasta between bowls. Top with fresh
clams and serve.

Test-Kitchen Tip: The size of clams can vary, so larger ones may take a
minute or two longer to cook.

Makes 2 servings.

SCALLOPS WITH HAZELNUTS AND BROWNED BUTTER VINAIGRETTE

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 large sea scallops (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/3 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup husked hazelnuts, toasted, chopped
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 small bunch watercress, thick stems trimmed

Cook butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until deep
golden brown and most of foam subsides, stirring frequently, about 4
minutes. Transfer butter to bowl, reserving skillet. Sprinkle scallops
with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon thyme; add to reserved skillet and
cook until just opaque in center, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
Transfer scallops to plate. Add shallots, hazelnuts, and remaining 1
teaspoon thyme to skillet; stir 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat.
Add browned butter and vinegar; stir to blend. Season vinaigrette with
salt and pepper.

Divide watercress between 2 plates. Top with scallops and spoon warm
vinaigrette over.

Makes 2 servings.

CRAB SALAD SANDWICHES

You won't even need a fork for this no-fuss supper. Include some
top-of-the line potato chips and mixed pickled vegetables on the menu,
and have ice cream bars for dessert.

1/4 cup regular or low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
6 ounces crabmeat, picked over

2 large seeded sandwich rolls (such as kaiser), split horizontally
1 cup thinly sliced romaine lettuce

Blend mayonnaise and seafood seasoning in medium bowl. Mix in celery
and onion. Add crabmeat and stir gently to combine without breaking up
crabmeat. Season to taste with pepper.

Place bottoms of rolls on plates. Mound half of crab salad, then
lettuce on each. Set tops of rolls over and press sandwiches slightly
to compact.

2 Servings: Can be doubled.

OYSTERS AND PEARLS

Sabayon of Pearl Tapioca with Malpeque Oysters and Osetra Caviar

Tapioca
1/3 cup small pearl tapioca
1 3/4 cups milk
16 meaty oysters, such as Malpeque, scrubbed with a brush
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cr=E8me fra=EEche
Kosher salt

Sabayon
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup reserved oyster juice (from above)

Sauce
3 tablespoons dry vermouth
Remaining reserved oyster juice (from above)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 tablespoon minced chives

1 to 2 ounces osetra caviar

Note:
Timing is important in the completion of this dish. The cooking should
be a continuous process, so have the cream whipped, the water for the
sabayon hot, and the remaining ingredients ready.

For the tapioca:
Soak the tapioca in 1 cup of the milk for 1 hour. (Setting it in a warm
place will speed up the rehydration of the pearls.)

For the oysters:
Shuck the oysters. Trim away the muscle and the outer ruffled edge of
each oyster and place the trimmings in a saucepan. Reserve the whole
trimmed oysters and strain the oyster juice into a separate bowl. You
should have about 1/2 cup of juice.

To cook the tapioca:
In a bowl, whip 1/2 cup of the cream just until it holds its shape;
reserve in the refrigerator.

Drain the softened tapioca in a strainer and discard the milk. Rinse
the tapioca under cold running water, then place it in a small heavy
pot.

Pour the remaining 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup cream over the oyster
trimmings. Bring to a simmer, then strain the infused liquid onto the
tapioca. Discard the trimmings.

Cook the tapioca over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden
spoon, until it has thickened and the spoon leaves a trail when it is
pulled through, 7 to 8 minutes. Continue to cook for another 5 to 7
minutes, until the tapioca has no resistance in the center and is
translucent. The mixture will be sticky and if you lift some on the
spoon and let it fall, some should still cling to the spoon. Remove the
pot from the heat and set aside in a warm place.

For the sabayon:
Place the egg yolks and the 1/4 cup oyster juice in a metal bowl set
over a pan of hot water. Whisk vigorously over medium heat for 2 to 3
minutes to incorporate as much air as possible. The finished sabayon
will have thickened and lightened, the foam will have subsided, and the
sabayon will hold a ribbon when it falls from the whisk. If the mixture
begins to break, remove it from the heat and whisk quickly off the heat
for a moment to recombine, then return to the heat.

Stir the hot sabayon into the tapioca, along with a generous amount of
black pepper. Mix in the cr=E8me fra=EEche and the whipped cream. The
tapioca will be a creamy pale yellow with the tapioca pearls suspended
in the mixture. Season lightly with salt, remembering that the oysters
and the caviar garnish will both be salty. Immediately spoon 1/4 cup
tapioca into each of eight 4- by 5- inch gratin dishes (with a 3- to 4-
ounce capacity). Tap the gratin dishes on the counter so that the
tapioca forms an even layer. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use,
or for up to a day.

To complete:
Preheat the oven to 350=BA F.

For the sauce:
Combine the vermouth, the remaining reserved oyster juice, the
shallots, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and simmer
until most of the liquid has evaporated but the shallots are glazed,
not dry. Whisk in the butter piece by piece, adding a new piece only
when the previous one is almost incorporated.

Meanwhile, place the dishes of tapioca on a baking sheet and heat in
the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they just begin to puff up.

Add the oysters and the chives to the sauce to warm through.

Spoon 2 oysters and some of the sauce over each gratin and garnish the
top with a quenelle, or small oval scoop, of caviar. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

MAINE LOBSTER WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND ROSEMARY VAPOR

This dish combines aroma and flavor in a unique fashion: Bowls of
steaming rosemary vapor accompany the luxurious main course. The piney
fragrance of fresh rosemary adds another dimension to the taste
experience.

1 cup distilled white vinegar
4 1 1/2-pound live Maine lobsters

1/2 cup canola oil
3 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 fresh fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 fresh tarragon sprigs
8 cups fresh rosemary leaves stripped from branches (about ten
..66-ounce packages)

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 cups (3 1/4 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 pounds assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini,
chanterelle, and stemmed shiitake), cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large fresh thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves, halved

Bring 8 quarts water and vinegar to boil in 10- to 12-quart pot. Add 2
lobsters headfirst and cook until shells turn bright red and lobsters
are just cooked through, about 11 minutes. Using tongs, remove lobsters
from water. Repeat with remaining 2 lobsters. Twist claws and tails off
lobsters. Crack claws and remove meat. Using kitchen shears or heavy
large knife, cut lobster tails lengthwise in half; remove tail meat.
Cut meat into large bite-size pieces. Place in medium bowl; cover and
refrigerate. Reserve claw and tail shells.

Using kitchen shears, cut away lobster gills. Rinse shells under cold
water. Place in large bowl. Pour cold water over and soak 10 minutes.
Drain; rinse well.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot over medium heat. Add lobster shells,
carrots, and next 4 ingredients. Cook until vegetables begin to soften,
stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add 4 quarts water and simmer
45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain lobster broth into large
bowl, pressing on solids. Strain broth again through fine strainer into
same pot. Boil over medium-high heat until broth is reduced to 2 cups,
about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; chill broth and
lobster meat separately.)

Bring 1 quart water to boil in tea kettle. Place 2 cups rosemary in
each of 4 large bowls; place on table.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over
medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, thyme, and garlic and saut=E9 until
mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes; discard thyme and garlic. Add
lobster and 1/2 cup butter to skillet and heat through, about 3
minutes.

Meanwhile, bring lobster broth to simmer in small saucepan. Pour hot
lobster broth into blender; add 1 cup butter. Blend until butter is
melted and mixture is frothy, about 30 seconds. Divide lobster mixture
among 4 shallow bowls. Pour butter sauce and foam over lobster mixture
and serve. Pour 1 cup boiling water into each bowl of rosemary to
create vapor.

Test-kitchen tip: Use kitchen shears to cut the lobster shells.

Makes 4 servings.

ROASTED PRAWNS WITH MORELS AND MOREL BUTTER

This recipe calls for giant 4 1/2- to 5-ounce prawns, which can be
ordered from some specialty fish markets. If unavailable, substitute 24
large prawns.

8 ounces fresh morel mushrooms or 2 ounces dried morel mushrooms*
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
3/4 cup chopped shallots, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

6 4 1/2- to 5-ounce uncooked giant prawns or 24 large prawns

Finely chop enough fresh morels or reconstituted morels to measure 1/2
cup (packed); reserve remaining morels. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in
medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup shallots and
garlic; saut=E9 1 minute. Add chopped morels and thyme; saut=E9 2
minutes. If using dried morels, add reserved soaking liquid to skillet,
leaving any sediment behind. Increase heat; boil until almost all
liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Transfer morel mixture to small
bowl; cool. Mix remaining 7 tablespoons butter into morel mixture.
Season lightly with salt and pepper. (Morel butter can be prepared 1
day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Using scissors, cut along back shell of each prawn all the way up to
tail, exposing vein; pull out vein. Turn prawns over. Using small sharp
knife and starting just below tail end, butterfly each prawn by cutting
1/4-inch-deep slit to opposite end. Place prawns, shell side down, on
rimmed baking sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)

Preheat oven to 500=B0F. Melt 2 tablespoons morel butter in heavy large
skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup shallots; saut=E9
until golden, about 3 minutes. Add remaining whole fresh morels or
reconstituted morels and saut=E9 until tender, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread 1 teaspoon morel butter over each giant prawn (or 1/4
teaspoon over each of 24 large prawns). Roast just until prawns are
opaque in center, about 7 minutes for giant prawns or 4 minutes for
large prawns. Top prawns with remaining morel butter, dividing equally.
Return to oven just long enough to melt butter slightly, about 10
seconds.

Transfer prawns to plates. Serve saut=E9ed morels alongside.

*If using dried morels: Bring 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan.
Add dried morels. Remove from heat. Cover; let steep 1 hour. Using
slotted spoon, transfer morels to bowl. Reserve soaking liquid.

Test-kitchen tip: Morel mushrooms, with their honeycomb design, require
thorough soaking in water. Submerge morels in large bowl of water and
agitate gently to release dirt, then lift out, leaving grit behind. Pat
morels dry and use immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

LOBSTER MACARONI AND CHEESE

1 1 3/4- to 2-pound live lobster

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
12 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, shells reserved
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped peeled carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
1 Turkish bay leaf
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
3 cups water

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups grated Fontina cheese (about 6 ounces)

8 ounces shell or gemelli pasta
6 ounces fresh crabmeat, picked over
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Plunge lobster headfirst into pot of boiling water; boil 4 minutes.
Using tongs, transfer to cutting board. Cut off tail and claws. Crack
tail and claws and remove meat. Cut meat into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut body
and shells into 2-inch pieces. Chill meat; reserve shells.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add
lobster body, lobster shells, and shrimp shells to skillet and saut=E9 4
minutes. Add onion and next 4 ingredients; saut=E9 6 minutes. Add tomato
paste; stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in Cognac. Add 3 cups
water; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

Strain mixture into bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard
solids. Set stock aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over
medium-high heat. Add shrimp; saut=E9 until just opaque in center, about
3 minutes. Cool slightly. Coarsely chop shrimp.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add
flour; stir 1 minute. Add stock and cream; simmer until sauce is
reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Add cheese; stir until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just
tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Stir lobster, shrimp, pasta,
crab, and 2 tablespoons butter into sauce. Stir over medium-low heat
until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve topped with chives.

Makes 6 first-course servings.

MARINATED SHRIMP WITH CHAMPAGNE BEURRE BLANC

The classic - and amazingly easy - French sauce made with butter
and wine gets a glamorous makeover with Champagne. Feel free to use
less-expensive sparkling wine for cooking, but keep the blanc de blancs
flowing as an accompaniment.

Sauce base
2 cups Champagne or other dry sparkling wine
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or other white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Shrimp
1 cup Champagne or other dry sparkling wine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
24 extra-large uncooked shrimp (about 2 pounds), peeled with tail left
intact, deveined
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces

For sauce base:
Combine Champagne, shallots, vinegar, and peppercorns in heavy medium
saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1/4 cup liquid, about 20 minutes. (Can
be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

For shrimp:
Combine Champagne, olive oil, shallots, and ground pepper in resealable
plastic bag. Add shrimp to bag and seal; shake bag to coat shrimp
evenly. Marinate shrimp at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up
to 1 hour, turning bag occasionally. Mix chives, tarragon, and parsley
in small bowl.

Preheat broiler. Spray broiler pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray.
Drain shrimp; discard plastic bag with marinade. Arrange shrimp on
prepared pan in single layer. Broil shrimp until just opaque in center,
about 2 minutes per side. Stand 3 shrimp, tails upright, in center of
each plate.

Rewarm sauce base over medium-low heat. Whisk in butter 1 piece at a
time, just allowing each to melt before adding next (do not boil or
sauce will separate). Season beurre blanc to taste with salt and
pepper.

Spoon warm sauce around shrimp. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.

Market tip: Champagne and sparkling wines labeled extra dry are
actually slightly sweeter than those labeled brut. The latter works
best for this dish.

Makes 8 first-course servings.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

Oysters Rockefeller were created in 1899 by Jules Alciatore of
Antoine's restaurant, in New Orleans, to make use of local shellfish
and greens. Named for John D. Rockefeller, this classic first course is
likewise rich.

Though Louisiana oysters tend to be quite large, it's best to use small
ones, such as Kumamoto or Prince Edward Island, for this recipe. The
oysters themselves (not the shells) should be no more than 1 to 1 1/2
inches in diameter.

3/4 cup firmly packed watercress sprigs (2 oz before discarding coarse
stems), finely chopped
1 1/3 cups firmly packed baby spinach (1 1/3 oz), finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallion greens
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons minced celery
3 tablespoons coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a day-old
baguette)
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Pernod or other anise-flavored liquor
Pinch of cayenne
3 bacon slices
About 10 cups kosher salt for baking and serving (3 lb)
20 small oysters on the half shell, oysters picked over for shell
fragments and shells scrubbed well

Toss together watercress, spinach, scallion greens, parsley, celery,
and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bread crumbs in a bowl. Melt butter in
a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add watercress mixture
and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in
Pernod, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer mixture to
a bowl and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450=B0F.

While watercress mixture chills, cook bacon in cleaned skillet over
moderate heat, turning, until crisp, then drain on paper towels and
finely crumble.

Spread 5 cups kosher salt in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep)
and nestle oysters (in shells) in it. Spoon watercress mixture evenly
over oysters, then top with bacon and sprinkle with remaining
tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons bread crumbs. Bake oysters until edges of
oysters begin to curl and bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes.

Serve warm oysters in shells, nestled in kosher salt (about 5 cups), on
a platter.

Cooks' note:
Watercress mixture can be chilled up to 1 day.

Makes 10 hors d'oeuvre servings.

CRAB CAKES

These crab cakes are amazingly tender and moist because of the generous
proportion of meat. The restaurant uses a combination of claw and
backfin meat from Atlantic blue crabs.

1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/4 sticks (5 oz) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Sriracha hot chile sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
8 slices firm whole-wheat sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425=B0F.

Cook scallion, bell pepper, and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter in a
1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute, then
whisk in flour and cook roux, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add cream
and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 2
minutes. (Mixture will be thick.) Remove from heat and whisk 1 minute,
then whisk in yolk, basil, mustard, chile sauce, lemon juice, and salt
and chill, uncovered, until cooled, about 15 minutes.

While sauce is cooling, line a tray with wax paper and butter a shallow
baking pan. Pulse bread, chives, parsley, and pepper in a food
processor until finely chopped and transfer mixture to a plate.

Stir crabmeat into sauce and form into 12 (3-inch) patties, arranging
them on tray.

Gently coat each crab cake with crumb mixture and place in baking pan.
Drizzle with remaining melted butter and bake until golden and hot, 8
to 10 minutes.

Makes 6 main-course servings.

MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER

Treat yourself to fresh clams for this recipe - they make all the
difference. This dish originated in Rhode Island during the late 19th
century, when, as story has it, Portuguese immigrants added tomatoes to
their chowder. British New Englanders believed their creamy chowder to
be superior and named the Portuguese version after Manhattan, presuming
that New Yorkers were the only people crazy enough to add tomatoes.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

2 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1/3 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons diced (1/3 inch) green bell pepper
3 tablespoons diced (1/3 inch) celery
2/3 cup diced (1/3 inch) peeled boiling potato (1 small)
1 (8-oz) bottle clam juice
1 cup canned diced tomatoes (8 oz), including juice
1 1/2 dozen small hard-shelled clams (1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter; 2
lb total), scrubbed well
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cook bacon in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat,
stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately low,
then add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring, until
softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in potato, bottled clam juice, and
tomatoes (with juice) and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in clams
and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until clams open wide, 8 to
10 minutes. (Discard any clams that after 10 minutes have not opened.)
Remove pan from heat.

Remove most of clamshells with tongs, then detach clams and return them
to chowder. (Keep a few in their shells for garnish.) Stir in parsley
and salt and pepper to taste.

Cooks' note:
Chowder, without clams or parsley, can be made 1 day ahead. Bring to a
simmer before adding clams and proceeding.

Makes 1 serving.

LOBSTER ROLLS

Owner Dick Varano knows a thing or two about traditional New England
lobster rolls: He sells about 20,000 of them a year. His customers love
this dish so much that it's the only recipe he hasn't changed since he
bought the restaurant 13 years ago.

8 ounces cooked lobster meat, torn into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2 hot dog rolls
1/2 head of butter lettuce, thinly sliced

Combine lobster meat and mayonnaise in medium bowl. Season to taste
with salt and pepper.

Butter outside surfaces of hot dog rolls. Heat medium skillet over
medium-high heat. Place rolls, 1 buttered side down, in skillet; cook
until browned slightly, about 2 minutes per side. Open rolls. Fill with
lettuce, then lobster mixture, and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

COQUILLES ST.-JACQUES WITH BEURRE BLANC

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

1 1/2 lb medium sea scallops (24 to 28), tough muscle removed from
sides if necessary
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon cold water
9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

Marinate scallops in vermouth 15 minutes.

Make beurre blanc: Simmer shallot in vinegar and wine in a small heavy
saucepan until liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Remove from
heat and add water. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking in 6
tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon at a time, adding each new piece before
previous one has melted completely and occasionally lifting pan from
heat to cool mixture. (Sauce must not get hot enough to liquefy; it
should be the consistency of a thin hollandaise.) Remove from heat and
whisk in tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm off heat,
covered.

Cook scallops: Drain scallops and pat dry between paper towels. Heat 1
1/2 tablespoons of remaining butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over
moderately high heat until foam subsides. While butter is heating,
season half of scallops with salt and pepper. Saut=E9 scallops, turning
once, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Wipe out
skillet and saut=E9 remaining scallops in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons
butter in same manner.

Serve scallops with beurre blanc.

Makes 4 servings.