This is my luxury, high-calorie (while still being a little bit healthy), comfort recipe for scallops.

You'll need:

4 nice big juicy scallops
1 tbsp olive oil - the better the quality, the better the end result
A generous knob of creamy, unsalted butter - knob is the technical term for about 50 grams
Garlic - about 2 big cloves chopped or crushed (you could get away with using garlic purée if, heaven forbid, you're out of garlic)
A splish of good white wine - splish is yet another technical term meaning a little less than a splosh, or about 2 tbsp
Lemon juice - a gentle squeeze from half a lemon
Salt and pepper - if at all possible use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A handful of chopped herbs - either parsley, thyme, lemon thyme, coriander or basil would be lovely
A chilli - as hot or mild as you like

Optional extra:

A big comfy sofa
A glass of slightly chilled white wine - something young and crisp with zesty fruit flavours: a sauvignon or chenin blanc would be sublime!

Put a frying pan onto a low heat, leave for a few moments, then add the olive oil. Season the scallops with the salt and pepper, place them in the pan and leave for just over a minute, let's say 90 seconds. Turn them over and cook for no more than three minutes then take them out and keep them warm.

Next, turn up the heat a little and add the garlic and chilli, stirring them round until the garlic gets a faint, nutty brown blush. Then add the wine and lemon juice and let them sizzle before finally adding in the butter and herbs. Give it all one final swirl and then, when the butter is frothing and bubbling pour it all over the scallops. Take them away at once and devour them!