Coquilles Saint-Jacques au Gratin
Poached scallops served in their shells with duxelles mushrooms and a white wine sauce, finished with a golden gratin under the broiler.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving: Calories: 450 kcal, Fat: 32 g, Sodium: 750 mg, Carbohydrate: 14 g, Protein: 25 g
Descriptions
Coquilles Saint-Jacques au Gratin is a classic French dish, combining tender poached scallops with a mushroom duxelles and a velvety white wine sauce.
The scallops are served in their shells, topped with a rich sauce, and gratinated under high heat until golden. This dish is luxurious and flavorful, perfect for special occasions or an elegant seafood course.
Directions
1- Set up your workspace:
Prepare your cooking equipment and ingredients.
2- Prepare the vegetables (20 min):
- Peel and finely chop carrots, onions, and shallots.
- Wash and chop the parsley.
- Prepare two small bouquets garnis. Finely mince 0.25 lb of shallots.
3- Make the fish stock (15 min):
Use fish bones, white wine, and aromatic vegetables (carrots, onions, shallots).
4- Prepare the scallops (15 min):
Clean and remove the nerve from the scallops. Rinse in cold water and set aside.
5- Poach the scallops (10 min):
- Sauté the shallots in butter, deglaze with white wine, and reduce by half.
- Add the fish stock and mushroom cooking liquid.
- Poach scallops gently in this mixture, ensuring the liquid does not exceed 175°F.
- Keep the scallops tender by finishing the poaching off the heat.
6- Sterilize the shells (10 min):
Wash and sterilize the scallop shells by boiling or steaming for 10 minutes.
7- Prepare the gratin sauce (15 min):
- Sauté the shallots, deglaze with white wine, and reduce.
- Add finely chopped mushrooms and cook until liquid evaporates.
- Stir in chopped parsley.
8- Make the white wine sauce (10 min):
- Sauté shallots in butter, deglaze with white wine, and reduce by three-quarters.
- Add the scallop cooking liquid and fish stock.
- Reduce again and optionally stir in velouté and cream.
- Strain through a fine sieve and season to taste.
9- Prepare the mushroom duxelles (15 min):
Stir a small amount of white wine sauce into the mushroom mixture and keep warm.
10- Prepare the sauce for gratin (15 min):
Combine the white wine sauce with a light hollandaise and whipped cream. Gently fold the cream into the sauce.
11- Assemble the gratin (10 min):
Place a spoonful of duxelles at the bottom of each sterilized shell, add sliced poached scallops, and top with white wine gratin sauce.
12- Gratinate the scallops (5 min):
Place the shells under a broiler until the tops are golden and bubbling.
13- Serve:
Arrange the gratin-coated scallops on a large platter with fresh parsley for garnish.
Note's
- Use fresh scallops for the best texture. Make sure they remain tender by not overcooking them.
- Sterilizing the scallop shells ensures food safety and presentation.
- For a lighter version, you can substitute the cream in the sauce with half-and-half or use less butter.
Ingredients
- 16 fresh scallops (about 4 lbs)
- 1/4 lb shallots, finely chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups fish stock
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups cream
- 1 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 bouquets garnis
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Gratin Sauce:
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup butter
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup whipped cream
