French Cooking Food

Serves 4 :

Preparation and cooking time : 40 minutes

Ingredients :

• 8 fresh scallops
• 4 tablespoons white dry wine
• 50g butter
• 3 tablespoon of plain flour
• 2 tablespoons of cream
• 50 g gruyere cheese grated
• 450g potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade. Prepare 4 scallop shells to use as serving dishes. Place the scallops in a saucepan with the wine, 150 ml of water, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook gently for 5 minutes. Remove the scallops and reserve the cooking stock.

Melt 25g of the butter gently in a saucepan, stir in the flour and then gradually stir in the reserved cooking juices, stirring continuously. Cook gently until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and then add the cream and 25g of the grated cheese. Add the scallops and season to taste.

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Mash together with the remaining milk and butter. Place the potato gratin around the edge of the scallop shells.

Divide the scallop mixture between the shells. Scatter the remaining cheese mixture over the shells and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until bubbling.

Top Tip:
- If you wish to impress your guests use a piping bag to pipe the potato gratin around the edge of the scallop shells.

Recommended wine with the baked scallops:
- A dry French white wine matches well with this dish.