Wednesday I got to cook on Talk of the Town with Lelan Statom (Click this Link to View). It was a blast - well of course it was – I was cooking with Lelan, but also nice because I had the opportunity to tell a story about a recipe that was special to me when I was growing up. That night and I was with friends, and we were reminiscing about dishes that were once all the rage and have slipped through the cracks – some with good reason. But we all agreed we had a favorite or two that needed to be revisited and so that’s what I did.
The summer after college, while waiting for a teaching position, I took a job working in a fairly posh restaurant in Overton Square in Memphis. They mostly served crepes. If you’re from Memphis, or have visited you may have been to Paulette’s. It’s also been reinvented and moved to Mud Island, a place that’s a lot nicer than it sounds. I’m still not quite clear about this unfortunate concept, but we had to wear a lederhosen style outfit to wait tables. Sandra Bullock modeled a similar number during a talent show in the movie Miss Congeniality. She wore it better than the wait staff at Paulette’s, but even on her it was a stretch. The crepes were good – spinach and bacon was my favorite, but the most expensive and most requested dish on the menu was Coquille St Jacques. It wasn’t a crepe at all, but a marvelous little ramekin full of shrimp and scallops – there may have been crab too – all tucked into a cream sauce flavored with a healthy dose of Vermouth. The ramekin was run under the broiler and nicely browned right before it was served. Coquilles St. Jacques was definitely the “IT” dish of the times and it was most certainly not on the list of items the wait staff was allowed to sample. My financial status – college grad working in a restaurant while waiting for a “real job” did not include expensive restaurant meals. One night at closing time, I was chatting with the bartender and mentioned how frustrating it was to constantly serve Coquille St. Jacques while secretly dying to try it. He excused himself, went in the kitchen and came back with a beautiful little ramekin. It was heavenly. When I did eventually get a job that allowed for a slightly more sophisticated grocery list, Coquilles St. Jacques was one of the first things I wanted to attempt. I learned that the traditional version has only scallops – and so that’s what I made. Again, it was heavenly and became a favorite recipe for special occasions. Like many trends, Coquilles St. Jacques probably became too popular and people got tired of it. I just forgot about it. When I told my husband we were having it for dinner he got all excited (except for the mushroom part – I had to leave that out). He loved every bite and was sad that: a) I finished all of mine and: b) just like Beef Roulades, I had never made it for him before. But now I will, and you should too.
We all know a true old classic never goes out of style.
Ingredients
I lb large sea scallops, patted dry
1 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp butter
¾ cup Vermouth
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp minced tarragon (fresh or 1 tsp dried)
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
½ cup half & half or cream
¼ cup grated Gruyère, plus a Tbsp or 2 for topping each dish
½ tsp chopped parsley (optional, if you don’t have it)
½ tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Butter two ramekins for a main dish, four for an appetizer portion.
Heat oil and 1 Tbsp of butter over high heat in a skillet large enough to hold the scallops.
Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper and lightly sear on each side for about a minute, do not overcook.
Divide scallops evenly between prepared ramekins.
(If you want to add sliced mushrooms, sauté desired amount in this same skillet and remove to add later to the finished sauce.)
In same skillet, bring Vermouth, garlic, tarragon, bay leaf, salt, and ¾ cup water to a boil over medium heat.
Boil liquid until reduced to ½ cup, about 10 minutes; strain.
Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add flour; cook until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add reduced cooking liquid and cream; cook until thickened, about 8 minutes.
Preheat broiler while sauce is cooking.
To the sauce, add cheese, parsley, lemon juice, and salt, and pepper to taste.
Thin with extra cream if necessary.
Pour the sauce over scallops.
Top with a sprinkle of cheese.
Broil until browned on top, about 3 minutes. Enjoy!
