Classic French Coquilles Saint Jacques Food

COQUILLES SAINT JACQUES

Steps:

• Prepare the scallops: Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear 1 minute per side, to brown. Do not cook completely. Set aside.
• To make the duxelles: Melt the butter in a large saute pan until foaming. Add the shallot and saute until soft. Add the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and the pan is dry, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and stir through the parsley.
• To make the sauce: Melt the butter in the saute pan until foaming. Add the shallot and cook until soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Whisk in the wine and boil down by half. Add the stock and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche. Check the seasonings, adding salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if needed.
• To assemble the dish: Heat the oven to broil with the oven rack at the top. Lay 6 large scallop shells or individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Divide the mushroom mixture among the shells. Arrange six scallops on each, then spoon over the sauce. For the topping, scatter over the parsley and breadcrumbs, drizzle over the melted butter, and broil until golden and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

EASY COQUILLES SAINT JACQUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place six (1 1/2-cup) gratin dishes on 2 sheet pans.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Add the seafood stock and whisk until it is smooth and thickened. Whisk in the cream, curry powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. Slice the mushroom caps 1/2 inch thick, add to the shallots, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Add the Cognac and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside.
• Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, Gruyère, and olive oil in a medium bowl and stir to moisten the crumbs. Set aside.
• Add the mushrooms to the cream sauce. Add the scallops and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, mix well, and divide among the gratin dishes. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly on top and bake for 20 minutes, until the scallops are cooked and the sauce is lightly browned and bubbly. Serve hot.

INA GARTEN'S MAKE-AHEAD COQUILLES ST.-JACQUES

Steps:

• Set a saucepan over medium heat, and melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in it. When it foams, add the flour, and cook for approximately 4 minutes, whisking constantly. Add the stock, and whisk again, until it is smooth and thick. Add the cream, curry powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring the sauce just to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
• Put 3 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. When it melts and foams, add the shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are clear and tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushroom caps, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until they have released their liquid and are just starting to brown. Add the brandy or Cognac, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the alcohol has mostly evaporated. Add a teaspoon of salt to the mixture and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and stir again to combine. Add mushroom mixture to the cream sauce, and set aside.
• Combine the bread crumbs, parsley and Gruyère in a large bowl, stir to combine, then moisten the mixture with the olive oil, stirring again to combine.
• Use last tablespoon of butter to grease 6 1 1/2-cup gratin dishes. Divide the scallops evenly among them and top with equal amounts of the cream and mushroom sauce. Top each gratin dish with a handful or two of the bread-crumb mixture. Place dishes on a sheet tray, cover gently with foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to a day.
• When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400. Remove cover from sheet tray, and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and bubbling and the scallops are cooked through.

COQUILLES ST. JACQUES

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Lightly butter the insides of 4 large ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Set aside. In a large skillet or saute pan, combine the scallops, onion slices, lemon slices, bay leaf, wine, and water. Bring to a simmer and gently poach the scallops until just firm, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Strain the scallop cooking liquid into a clean container. Reserve the scallops on a plate.
• In a clean large saute pan or medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan the mushrooms were cooked in and melt over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, to form a light roux. Slowly add the strained poaching liquid, whisking constantly, and cook until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and whisk well. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Add the parsley and green onions, and simmer for 1 minute. Add the cream and Gruyere, stir well, and remove from the heat. Fold in the scallops and mushrooms, and pour into the prepared ramekins.
• In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, butter and Essence. Sprinkle over the scallop mixture and top with the Parmesan. Run under the broiler until just crisp and brown, being careful not to overcook, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

COQUILLES SAINT JACQUES

Steps:

• Lightly grease six 4-inch baking shells or ceramic ramekins** with butter. Place in 15x10x1-inch pan.
• In 3-quart saucepan, place scallops, wine, parsley and salt. Add just enough water to cover scallops. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 6 minutes or until scallops are white.
• Remove scallops with slotted spoon; reserve liquid. Heat reserved liquid to boiling. Boil until reduced to 1 cup. Strain and reserve.
• In same saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and shallots in butter 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender. Remove from saucepan.
• In same saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Gradually stir in reserved liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in half-and-half, scallops, mushroom mixture and 1/4 cup of the cheese; heat through.
• In small bowl, toss bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Divide scallop mixture among baking shells. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the bread crumbs.
• Set oven control to broil. Broil baking shells with tops 5 inches from heat 3 to 5 minutes or until crumbs are toasted.

COQUILLES ST. JACQUES

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour, stirring until smooth; cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Gradually add half and half; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt and white pepper; set aside.
• Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add scallops and green onions; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms and cook 3 minutes more.
• Stir cream sauce, crabmeat, and wine into the scallop mixture. Cook just until thoroughly heated.
• To serve, spoon about 1 tablespoon seafood mixture into each shell.

COQUILLES ST.-JACQUES

Steps:

• 1. Heat the water, wine, onion, bouquet garni, and lemon juice to a boil in a saucepan. Add the scallops, cover, and simmer on very low heat until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove the scallops with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• 2. Add the mushrooms to the scallop poaching liquid and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Strain, discarding the bouquet garni and reserving the liquid and mushrooms separately.
• 3. Cut the scallops into 1/2-inch-thick slices. If too long, cut in half horizontally.
• 4. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and whisk in the flour. Do not let it get dark. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the scallop liquid and mix until blended. Over very low heat, blend the flour mixture into the scallop liquid. Add the cream and simmer and stir until blended and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the scallops and mushrooms, and stir.
• 5. Fill 6 scallop shells or shallow 6-inch ramekins almost to the top with the scallop mixture. Dust the top lightly with bread crumbs and sprinkle with the grated cheese. (If you're not ready to serve the scallops, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• 6. Preheat the broiler. Broil the scallops until the mixture bubbles and the cheese melts and turns golden brown.

HOW TO MAKE COQUILLES SAINT-JACQUES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; saute shallots in the hot butter until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir mushrooms, salt, and black pepper into shallots. Turn heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Pour white wine over mushroom mixture, dissolving any browned bits of food on bottom of skillet into wine; bring to a simmer. Gently place scallops into wine and poach in the mushroom mixture until barely firm, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to a bowl. Strain mushroom mixture into another bowl, reserving mushrooms and cooking liquid separately. Return strained liquid to skillet, pour in any accumulated juices from scallops, and stir in cream. Bring to a boil and cook until cream sauce is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Stir often. Turn off heat and let mixture cool for 1 minute.
• Quickly whisk egg yolk into cream sauce until combined. Transfer skillet to a work surface (such as a heatproof countertop or cutting board) and stir cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons tarragon, and lemon zest into sauce.
• Divide mushroom mixture into scallop shells, spreading mushrooms out to cover bottoms of shells; place about 3 scallops onto each portion. Spoon cream sauce over scallops to coat; let sauce drizzle down into mushrooms. Sprinkle lightly with Gruyere cheese and paprika or cayenne.
• Turn oven's broiler to high. Slightly crinkle a large sheet of aluminum foil and place onto a baking sheet. Place filled shells onto foil and press lightly to help them stay level.
• Broil about 10 inches from the heat source until sauce is bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to serving plates lined with napkins to prevent shells from tipping; garnish each portion with 2 crossed tarragon leaves.