Scallops on Melted Leeks

Friday 31 March
Some lovely big scallops at Krogers, so we tried this recipe from Epicurious.
Here it is, with annotations:

ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon drained capers, patted dry
2 1/2 cups dry white wine

7 whole peppercorns

3 shallots, thinly sliced

2 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup whipping cream
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, cut into pieces

5 leeks, chopped (white and pale green parts only; about 4 cups) 

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh chives
1 pound sea scallops
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add capers; sauté until crisp, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

[Don't bother: first the capers don't ever actually crisp up; second, they're going to get stirred back into a cream sauce.]

Boil wine and next 4 ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat until liquid is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 15 minutes. Add cream; boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. (Capers and sauce can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

[Read on to the end. Notice that the recipe leaves the bay leaf, crunchy little pepper corns, etc., until AFTER you've added cream and monter au beurre. Obviously forgot the "press on the solids" stage. The bay leaf is an off flavor for a cream sauce in any case, and the shallots are part of the sauce. Instead, toss in the thyme sprigs and fish them out when the wine is reduced. Add a grind of pepper, and the tarragon AT THE BEGINNING. Take off the heat, and then you've got a lovely sauce, ready to be enriched.]

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and 3/4 cup water. Simmer until leeks are tender and almost all water evaporates, about 4 minutes. Mix in chives. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer leek mixture to platter. Tent with foil.

[1. COVER the leeks. 2. Cook FIFTEEN minutes. 3. What's the deal with the platter? Just keep warm in the FRYING PAN you've already got dirty!]

Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil in another heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add scallops; sauté until cooked, about 2 minutes per side. Arrange atop leeks. Tent with foil.

[Again, what's with the foil?]

Reheat sauce over medium heat. Gradually add 6 tablespoons butter; whisk until smooth, about 1 minute (do not boil). Strain sauce into small bowl. Stir in capers and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over scallops.

[DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES REHEAT THE SAUCE, which will only cause the butter to melt, rather than emulsify. Put the leeks on heated plates, like normal people, put the scallops on top, montez the sauce with butter, which will take about a minute, and eat it. Jeez! By the way, the capers do nothing for the dish.]