We are earnest gentlemen. We try to lead distinguished lives. We work hard. Whatever we do, we endeavor to do it well. But we recognize our imperfections, and we strive constantly to improve. Humility is a noble virtue. No one likes a braggart.

Please forgive us for crowing indecently, but we killed last night’s dinner. Rocked it. We made scallops sous vide in a bacon leek sauce. It was the stuff of which dreams are made. Someday, we will regale future generations with fanciful tales about that meal. And, those wide-eyed youths will listen in wonderment. They will ask, “What is a scallop?” because global warming will have eradicated them.

Scallops are notoriously tricky. Cook them one minute too long, and they become rubber; one minute too short, and the ride might get rocky. Cooking them sous vide eliminates human error. We get a precisely done scallop each and every time.

Scallops

Ingredients

• 8 sea scallops
• Butter, one tablespoon
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Directions

Pat the scallops dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Insert scallops into a vacuum bag. Divide butter into four or five pieces and arrange between scallops. Vacuum seal bag using “moist” and “gentle” settings. Cook sous vide at 122°F for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from bag and pat dry. Sear the scallops in an already blazing hot cast-iron skillet for 20 seconds per side. Don’t overcook!

Bacon Leek Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 strips of bacon
• 3 leeks, chopped, white and light green segments only
• 1/3 cup of white wine
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of chicken stock
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Directions

In a skillet, fry bacon. Remove strips when cooked. Add leeks and sauté for five minutes. Add white wine and bring to a simmer for four minutes. Add milk and cook for a few minutes until leeks are tender. Pour the mixture into a blender. Add chicken stock, and puree. Return the mixture to the skillet and reduce to the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Service

Pour sauce into a low bowl. Arrange three or four scallops. In the middle, place upright a strip of crispy bacon. Serve with champagne — Veuve Clicquot if you’ve got it.

We use a Sousvide Supreme.