Description
Coquilles Saint-Jacques is a classic French baked scallop dish featuring tender scallops in a creamy mushroom béchamel sauce topped with a golden cheesy breadcrumb crust. This elegant seafood gratin is perfect for special occasions and impresses with its rich flavors and comforting textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Scallops
- 220g / 7 1/2 oz medium raw scallops
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Béchamel Sauce
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 eschalot (shallot), finely diced
- 200g / 7 oz white mushrooms, diced 8mm / 1/4″
- 2 tbsp plain flour (all-purpose)
- 1/2 cup hot milk (preferably full fat but lite milk works too)
- 1/2 cup hot thickened cream (heavy cream or any full fat cream)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Cheesy Crust
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 50g / 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded (tightly packed if using cups)
- 1/8 tsp cooking salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced) to prepare for baking the gratins.
- Prepare Scallops: Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Remove the chewy side muscle (the ‘foot’), which can be tough when cooked. Slice each scallop in half and set aside.
- Make Cheesy Crust: In a bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, shredded Gruyère cheese, and salt. Mix well and set aside until needed.
- Cook Mushrooms and Shallots: Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the finely diced eschalot and diced mushrooms. Stir regularly and cook for 4–5 minutes until the mushrooms soften.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle in the plain flour and stir continuously, cooking for about 30 seconds. The mixture will appear pasty; this is normal.
- Add Milk and Cream: Gradually pour in the hot milk and thickened cream, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth and lump free.
- Season and Thicken Sauce: Add salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir well and cook until you see the first small bubbles appear, then continue to cook for an additional 30 seconds before removing from the heat. The sauce should be slightly pourable for easy spreading around the scallops.
- Assemble Ramekins: Season the scallops with salt. Divide the scallops evenly between 4 shallow ramekins (approximately 11cm diameter and 2.5cm deep).
- Add Sauce: Spoon all the creamy mushroom béchamel sauce over the scallops, ensuring to fill all gaps. Smooth the surface with a spatula or back of a spoon.
- Top with Cheesy Crust: Evenly scatter the prepared cheesy breadcrumb crust over each ramekin, covering the surface completely to achieve a golden crust.
- Bake: Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden and bubbling.
- Serve: Let the gratins rest for 2 minutes after baking, then serve warm. Enjoy your delicious Coquilles Saint-Jacques!
Notes
- Note 1: Removing the side muscle from scallops prevents a chewy texture, enhancing tenderness.
- Note 2: Shallots add a subtle onion flavor that complements the mushrooms in the sauce.
- Note 3: Panko breadcrumbs provide a light and crispy crust when baked.
- Note 4: Gruyère cheese melts beautifully and imparts a nutty flavor.
- Note 5: Using hot milk and cream helps prevent lumps in the béchamel sauce.
- Note 6: The béchamel is deliberately thinner than usual for better coverage and to blend well with the scallops.
- Note 7: Flat round ramekins about 11cm diameter and 2.5cm deep are ideal for portion size.
- Note 8: Resting before serving lets the dish set slightly and cools to a perfect eating temperature.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Coquilles Saint-Jacques, scallops gratin, creamy scallops, baked seafood, French seafood dish, mushroom béchamel, Gruyère cheese crust
