The #JC100: Coquilles St. Jacques À La Provençale OR Scallops Gratinéed with Wine, Garlic and Herbs

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On August 15th, Julia Child would have been 100 years old. To honor her, the JC100 was launched, it is a national campaign involving restaurants, chefs, bookstores, and bloggers (that’s me), all celebrating Julia and her legacy.

Jc100 badge - Julia ChildAs a participant, I cooked up some Coquilles St. Jacques À La Provençale and may I just say, it was the best anything I’ve cooked for a good long while! My son, (another seafood fan) agreed, in fact when I lifted the lid of the skillet to give him a whiff. He said, “Oh THANK YOU mom!” and threw his arms around me.

How’s that for appreciation?

It’s not like me to follow a recipe exactly, but keeping in mind that I know nothing about french cooking and Julia Child is a culinary icon. I decided that just this once, I would follow instruction to the ‘tee’. As I mentioned before, the dish was superb – Thank you Julia!

Do yourself a favor, make and enjoy this recipe soon! For more great recipes by Julia Child check out the JC100 on Facebook.

The #JC100: Coquilles St. Jacques À La Provençale OR Scallops Gratinéed with Wine, Garlic and Herbs

Excerpted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. Copyright © 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.

Ingredients

1/3 cup minced yellow onions
1 Tb butter
1 1/2 Tb minced shallot or green onions
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 lbs washed scallops
Salt and pepper
1 cup sifted flour in a dish
2 Tb butter
1 Tb olive oil
A 10-inch enameled skillet
2/3 cup dry white wine, or 1/2 cup dry white vermouth and 3 Tb water
1/2 bay leaf
1/8 tsp thyme
6 buttered scallop shells, or porcelain or pyrex shells, of 1/3 cup capacity
1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 Tb butter cut into 6 pieces

Instructions

1. Cook the onions slowly in butter in a small saucepan for 5 minutes or so, until tender and translucent but not browned. Stir in the shallots or onions, and garlic, and cook slowly for 1 minute more. Set aside.

2. Dry the scallops and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick. Just before cooking, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and shake off excess flour.

3. Sauté the scallops quickly in very hot butter and oil for 2 minutes to brown them lightly.

4. Pour the wine, or the vermouth and water, into the skillet with the scallops. Add the herbs and the cooked onion mixture. Cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Then uncover, and if necessary boil down the sauce rapidly for a minute until it is lightly thickened. Correct seasoning, and discard bay leaf.

5. Spoon the scallops and sauce into the shells. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to gratiné. Just before serving, run under a moderately hot broiler for 3 to 4 minutes to heat through, and to brown the cheese lightly.

Notes:
This good recipe may be prepared in advance and grantinéed just before serving. The proportions given are sufficient for a first course. Double them for a main course. Serve a chilled rosé, or a dry white such as côtes de Provence.

Enjoy!

MKxo


4 Comments

Nikki · August 23, 2012 at 3:09 pm

I have to try this soon. If I was closer I would invite myself over for dinner.

mommyknows · August 24, 2012 at 1:21 pm

@Nikki –> I wish you were closer!

Trip karimunjawa · September 19, 2012 at 5:22 am

nice information, thank very much nice article

Eats We Tweet · January 15, 2013 at 9:04 pm

This looks so very delicious!

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