Clean and peel the potatoes. Cut into bite-sized cubes and cook, covered, in a medium saucepan until almost tender. Rinse asparagus and trim off tough ends. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Steam the asparagus in a double boiler until almost tender, about 5-10 minutes. While potatoes are boiling and asparagus is steaming, sauté the garlic and shallots in the butter or olive oil in a large skillet until the shallots are translucent. Drain the potatoes and add to the shallots and garlic and brown. Add the scallops and sauté until nicely browned on the outside and cooked through (scallops will be white and firm on the inside). Remove the asparagus from the double boiler and add to the scallop mixture and cook until just tender. Turn heat to low and add cream. Cook over low heat until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a green salad.