Clotted cream ... A soup of scallops and vegetables

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Dear Lynne: My mother likes to give me unusual ingredients to cook with. Recently she came back from England with a jar of clotted cream. Should it go into sweet dishes or savory ones? And what is clotted cream? -- Shannon in Las VegasDear Shannon: Clotted cream is something you could do yourself if you can get high-quality raw milk, as in milk from Jersey cows. Originating in southwest England in the Devonshire area, which was known for rich grazing, clotted cream probably began as a method of keeping milk and making raw milk safe for drinking.Farmers strained fresh milk into wide, shallow earthenware bowls and let them sit overnight in a cool place. The cream rose to the top. Then the bowls with the floating cream (which couldn't be jostled or stirred) were gently and slowly heated until reaching about 180 degrees. As it warmed, the cream gradually coagulated and thickened. After carefully skimming the cooked-tasting cream off the milk, the farmers used it instead of butter or whipped cream. Fine clotted cream tastes sweet and distinctly milky, while that of poor quality is tasteless and greasy.Certainly use your mother's gift just as you would butter and whipped cream. Clotted cream with scones and jam are the stuff of British tea lore.On the non-dessert side, a spoonful that you've mixed with fresh tarragon and chives is good on trout and seafood. Toss steamed carrots with clotted cream. In fact, toss any vegetable with it. If you add minced shallot and fresh lemon juice, you have creamy dressing for new spring greens. Crush steamed new potatoes and peas with clotted cream to nudge their natural sweetness to the forefront.Dear Lynne: Have you a recipe for scallops that I can do ahead without overcooking them? Bay scallops are looking good, so this would be a help. -- Les in BloomingtonDear Les: Asian-inspired, this easy, light broth is infused with spices and then ladled over thinly sliced raw scallops and vegetables. The scallops actually cook on the way to the table. The longer the broth steeps before the scallops and vegetables go in, the stronger the ginger flavor. You could add soaked rice noodles to the bowl for a more substantial soup.LIGHT AND TART SOUP OF SCALLOPS AND VEGETABLES4 servingsCook to cook: If homemade stock is unavailable, simmer 6 cups canned broth for 30 minutes with 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 chopped carrot, 1 bay leaf and 3 cloves.Broth:6 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)1 medium onion, coarsely chopped10 thin slices fresh ginger root3 large garlic cloves, crushed10 whole peppercorns, crushed8 whole allspice berries, crushed1-1/2 teaspoons tamarind concentrateScallops and Vegetables:24 small bay scallops, trimmed of the small muscle on their sides, and thinly sliced into rounds8 snow peas, strings removed and thinly sliced on diagonal4 small green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal1-1/2- to 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks1 small carrot, peeledSalt and freshly ground pepperCombine the broth ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand at least 1 hour to steep. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated.)Combine scallops, snow peas, green onions and ginger in a medium bowl. Using vegetable peeler, shave the carrot into scallop mixture in short strips. Divide the mixture among soup bowls. (Can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Cover bowls tightly and refrigerate.)To serve, strain the stock and return it to saucepan. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and ladle it into the bowls of scallops and vegetables.(Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table," American Public Media's national food show and co-author of "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions." Ask questions and find Lynne, recipes and station listings at splendidtable.org, or 800-537-5252.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)