I ask Morrie if he felt sorry for himself.
"Sometimes, in the mornings," he said."That's when I mourn. I feel around my body, I move my fingers and my hands - whatever I can still move - and I mourn what I've lost. I mourn the slow, insidious way in which I'm dying. But then I stop mourning."
Just like that?
"I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life. On the people who are coming to see me. On the stories I am going to hear…"Mitch, I don't allow myself any more self-pit than that. A little each morning and that's all."
Russell is my hero. He is meeting Morrie's approach to life head on.
So tonight we celebrate that; tonight we honor his fortitude. And what better way than with a lovely dinner.
I have never made them this way before and it is 'a keeper'. The 'trick' to nice browning is to buy DRY scallops. That does not mean wash them and dry them. That means many scallops come through the market pumped with water (and probably some lovely chemical). You want to buy 'dry', plain ol' scallops which is probably much easier on the east coast and than it is here in the mountains…
For the scallops:
1 lb. dry large sea scallops
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce:
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
2 Tbs. finely diced shallot (1 medium shallot)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley and tarragon
1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove the tough abductor muscle from the side of each scallop (some scallops are sold with the muscle already removed). If you feel any grit on the scallops, rinse them under cold water. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels; surface moisture impedes browning.
Heat a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the oil and butter, if using, and heat until quite hot. Pat the scallops dry once more and put them in the pan in a single, uncrowded layer. Season with salt and pepper and let sear undisturbed until one side is browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the scallops and sear until the second side is well browned and the scallops are almost firm to the touch, 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, transfer the scallops to a plate, and set them in a warm spot. Let the pan cool for a minute before you make the sauce.
Return the pan to medium heat. Add a piece of the butter (1/2 Tbs.) and the shallots and sauté until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by about half, another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the herbs and lemon zest. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining butter, and whisk constantly until the butter melts into the sauce. Return the scallops and any accumulated juices to the pan. Gently roll the scallops in the sauce to warm them through. Taste for salt and pepper and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over the scallops.
As always, I rarely follow amounts precisely and just add a pinch of this and a splash of that so don't stress on all that. As with the reason for the dinner, a celebration, celebrate the joy of cooking and just go with it. CELEBRATE!