Swimming Scallops Provencal

Ingredients:

2 lbs swimming scallops (fresh or IQF)
1/2 cup dry white wine

Provençale Sauce:
  1 tbsp olive oil
  2 onions, chopped
  1 celery stalk, chopped
  1 garlic clove, chopped
  1 tsp chopped fresh basil, plus extra to garnish

bouquet garni:
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 lb ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 14-oz can chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar

Directions:

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, celery, garlic, basil and bouquet garni, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until softened but not browned.

Mix in the tomato paste and tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Put the scallops in a casserole dish with the wine, over high heat, and bring to a boil. Do not thaw scallops before cooking. Cook for a few minutes only, until

the scallops have opened, stirring frequently to ensure they are evenly cooked.

Pour off the cooking liquid, , and return the opened mussels, in their shells, to the casserole dish.

Pour the hot tomato sauce over the scallops and heat through. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve at once.