BreezyCooking
Banned
HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!!! This is our traditional Bastille Day meal, & my very own take on "Coquilles St. Jacques" after trying out many different recipes. Don't be put off by the number of steps - it does put together quickly. Rich, colorful, DELICIOUS, & easily increased for larger parties.
(Serves 2-3 as an entree - 4-6 as an appetizer.)
Breezy Coquilles St. Jacques
Ingredients:
1 pound bay scallops (thawed frozen work fine), rinsed
Approx. 1 cup dry vermouth (or dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Chablis)
Approx. 1 cup water
1 Bay Leaf
Approx. 1/2 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour
8 ounces sliced White Button Mushrooms
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 "clove" of shallot, peeled & minced
Approx. 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Approx. 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
Freshly ground white (or black) pepper to taste
Special Equipment:
Buttered baking dish, buttered individual gratin dishes, or large natural scallop shells brushed with melted butter. (I use the large natural scallop shells when serving this as an appetizer.)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet large enough to hold vegetables & saute mushrooms, bell pepper, shallot, & parsley until tender & softened, but not browned. Set aside.
Bring wine, water, & bay leaf to a boil & add scallops. (If necessary, add more wine & water in equal portions to cover scallops completely.) Lower heat & poach for 1-2 minutes ONLY, depending on size. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove scallops to a bowl & set aside. Raise heat & reduce wine/water mixture until only approximately half a cup remains. Remove & discard bay leaf. Pour liquid into measuring cup & set aside.
Add half-and-half to wine/water mixture in measuring cup to make 1 cup of liquid. In a saucepan large enough to hold all ingredients, melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter & stir in tablespoon of flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for just a minute or two to remove raw taste from flour. Still stirring constantly, slowly pour in measuring-cup mixture & continue cooking until it starts to thicken. Gently add in vegetable mixture & scallops.
Spoon into baking dish, individual gratin dishes, or scallop shells & top with shredded Gruyere cheese. Depending on what size baking dish(es) you're using, bake until heated through & cheese is melted & bubbly.
Serve with a nice mixed green salad & good crusty bread.
(Serves 2-3 as an entree - 4-6 as an appetizer.)
Breezy Coquilles St. Jacques
Ingredients:
1 pound bay scallops (thawed frozen work fine), rinsed
Approx. 1 cup dry vermouth (or dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Chablis)
Approx. 1 cup water
1 Bay Leaf
Approx. 1/2 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour
8 ounces sliced White Button Mushrooms
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 "clove" of shallot, peeled & minced
Approx. 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Approx. 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
Freshly ground white (or black) pepper to taste
Special Equipment:
Buttered baking dish, buttered individual gratin dishes, or large natural scallop shells brushed with melted butter. (I use the large natural scallop shells when serving this as an appetizer.)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet large enough to hold vegetables & saute mushrooms, bell pepper, shallot, & parsley until tender & softened, but not browned. Set aside.
Bring wine, water, & bay leaf to a boil & add scallops. (If necessary, add more wine & water in equal portions to cover scallops completely.) Lower heat & poach for 1-2 minutes ONLY, depending on size. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove scallops to a bowl & set aside. Raise heat & reduce wine/water mixture until only approximately half a cup remains. Remove & discard bay leaf. Pour liquid into measuring cup & set aside.
Add half-and-half to wine/water mixture in measuring cup to make 1 cup of liquid. In a saucepan large enough to hold all ingredients, melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter & stir in tablespoon of flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for just a minute or two to remove raw taste from flour. Still stirring constantly, slowly pour in measuring-cup mixture & continue cooking until it starts to thicken. Gently add in vegetable mixture & scallops.
Spoon into baking dish, individual gratin dishes, or scallop shells & top with shredded Gruyere cheese. Depending on what size baking dish(es) you're using, bake until heated through & cheese is melted & bubbly.
Serve with a nice mixed green salad & good crusty bread.
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