Happy New Year!

It's New Year's Eve and the train back to Paris is late. (15 minutes, not 3 hours, but we can leave that out for a more dramatic effect.)

Frustrated and cold (or doing just fine, but you get the point), I got off the subway and walked across the dreary Pont Neuf (alright, now it just sounds fake) and made my way up the five flights of stairs separating me from...an empty apartment? No!

What I came home to was a delightful New Year's Eve dinner in which I was strictly forbidden to help out. Here is the extent of what I had to do: sit, smile, and eat. And honestly, it couldn't have been easier given what was on the table: champagne, butter-seared scallops with truffle salt, marinated salmon--the Scandinavian sashimi--with a light cucumber salad and blinis, and a satisfying holiday cake with dried fruit.

After the partying comes the difficult time of setting New Year's resolutions. Here's mine: have dinner every day like I did on the 31st. Well, tofu and vegetable versions of it. Good enough, right?

Here's wishing everyone a terrific 2010 filled with joy, love, peace and obviously, food to bring it all together!

Simple and Delicious: Pan-Seared Scallops with Truffle Salt

1 TB butter

12 very very fresh scallops, coral removed

salt and pepper

Truffle salt, as much as you like

Heat butter in a pan (preferably steel, but any is fine) on medium-high until butter stops foaming.

Place scallops in pan, making sure not to overcrowd them. They should sizzle--flip them over when the bottom side has a nice light brown, and cook until the other side gets a nice brown as well.

Plate and sprinkle with a generous serving of truffle salt.