This recipe is a simplified riff on the classic French dish Cocquilles St. Jacques. Traditionally the dish is served on a scallop shell as a tribute to Saint-Jacques (Saint James) the patron saint of pilgrims making the religious journey to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. There are many myths associated with Saint-Jacques, just as with many classic dishes, there are numerous interpretations of the recipe. Some versions poach the scallops first, some use Gruyère cheese, some add a touch of curry powder to the sauce, etc., etc. My goal is to make the recipe easy and accessible while preserving the delicious character of the wine sauce and making it virtually impossible to overcook the scallops. Garnished with chopped parsley, the dish can be served as an impressive first course for a special meal, or as a light main course with Sweet Potato Puree and a simple salad. The light creamy citrus and nutmeg-inflected sweet potato provides some color and an interesting alternative flavor profile to white potatoes which often accompany the dish.

Baked Scallops in Wine Sauce
Makes 6-8 first-course servings; 4 main course

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 ounce)
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1 cup clam juice or fish stock
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 Turkish or 1/4 California bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Cognac or Brandy (optional but recommended)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 pound sea scallops, tough muscle removed from the side of each if necessary, and scallops cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 pound small mushrooms, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
pinch of cayenne (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

1. Mix the Panko and Parmesan cheese with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and set aside.

2. Add wine, clam juice, onion, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to a heavy saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour the cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the saucepan with a paper towel.

3. Cook the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cognac, lemon zest, and scallops and mix to coat the scallops. (You’re not cooking the scallops at this point.) Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

4. Whisk together the cream and egg yolk in a heatproof bowl.

5. Make a roux by melting 2 tablespoons butter to the cleaned saucepan over moderately low heat, then add the flour and cook stirring until the roux begins to turn a pale golden color.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the reduced cooking liquid in a stream, whisking constantly. Return the pan to heat and simmer, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.

7. Pour the sauce in a slow stream into the cream mixture, whisking constantly, then pour the sauce back into the pan, add the pinch of cayenne, and simmer, whisking for a minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

8. Stir scallops and mushrooms into the sauce, then divide among scallop shells or oven-safe ramekins and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.

9. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan in the upper third of the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.

10. Garnish with finely chopped parsley as a first course, or as a main course with warm Sweet Potato Puree piped or spooned around the edge of the scallops accompanied by a salad.

Wine pairing: white wine: a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, or Albariño would stand up to the rich creamy sauce, but not overpower the delicate scallops.

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Here’s a riff on one of my favorite dishes, the classic Portuguese dish “Porco Alentejana”. I first tasted this dish with pork, clams, and fried potatoes over 40 years ago at the “12345 Club” the Cabana Carioca at 123 West 45th St. in Manhattan. Since then I try it every time I eat at a Brazilian or Portuguese restaurant. The secret to the dish is the complex traditional Portuguese red pepper paste condiment that provides a distinctive flavor to the broth. For this recipe, I substitute sustainably farmed mussels for small hard-shelled clams and smokey fried Portuguese linguiça for the pork shoulder. Super flavorful and satisfying, the briny-plump-tender mussels, crisp-smokey sausage, and roasted slices of potato provide you with a dish from culinary heaven. If you want to lower the carbs omit the potatoes, but don’t forget the crusty bread to dip in the sumptuous broth! Bom proveito!

Portuguese Mussels with Linguiça and Fried Potatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds of fresh mussels washed and picked over discarding any that are open and don’t close when tapped.
½ pound linguiça thinly sliced
¼ cup red pepper paste
1 ¾ cups dry white wine
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/4” thick or cut into 1-inch cubes
(See *Note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425 F.

In a large bowl, toss the potato slices/cubes with 2 tablespoons oil, season lightly with salt and plenty of pepper, and scatter in one layer on a rimmed foil-lined baking sheet. Roast, flipping them once or twice, until fork tender and golden brown about 30-40 minutes.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fry the linguiça until it is brown and crispy.
Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and cook stirring until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the red pepper paste and stir for a couple of minutes before adding the wine and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer for a couple of minutes, cover and remove from the heat until the potatoes are out of the oven.
Once the potatoes are done, raise the heat under the pot to high, bring to a boil and stir in the mussels. Cover and cook until they begin to open (2-3 minutes) stirring occasionally and picking out the mussels as they fully open. (Note: cooking mussels this way ensures perfectly cooked large, plump, tender mussels that are not overcooked, shriveled, and tiny.) Discard any mussels that don’t open.
To serve, line the bottom of the serving bowls with the potato slices or cubes, top with the linguiça, mussels, and broth, and sprinkle with the cilantro. (See *Note)
Serve with crusty bread for dipping. Have a large bowl ready for the shells.
*Note: if you want to lower the carbs in this dish omit the potatoes.

Adapted from: https://leitesculinaria.com/7675/recipes-portuguese-pork-with-clams.html

Wine pairing: the traditional wine to serve with this meal is “vinho verde” a light, crisp white wine from Portugal. Other options would be Chablis, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Albariño, or Verdejo. You could also try a Rosé or light Beaujolais. Avoid wines that have heavy tannins.

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Baked Scallops in Wine Sauce →

Portuguese Mussels with Linguiça and Fried Potatoes →