Gratinee of Scallops

From Chef Michael Lechnir, Prairie du Chien, WI 

2/3 cup butter                                                         1 small onion, chopped fine
2 ¼ lbs. scallops                                                    1 1/3 cups General’s Reserve White Wine
2 ½ cups béchamel sauce (see below)               ½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ tablespoon vermouth                                         Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 cups bread crumbs                                             Salt and pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 400.  Melt butter over a low heat and add onion, cook until soft.  Add scallops.  Pour in wine and bring to boil, then simmer gently for one minute.  Remove scallops and reserve the broth.  Boil the broth hard to reduce it to about a quarter of the volume.  Slice the scallops and reserve the broth.  Boil the broth hard to reduce it to about a quarter of the volume.  Slice the scallops and fold them into half of the béchamel sauce.  Add mustard, vermouth, pepper, reduced broth, and salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon the mixture into an oven-proof dish or dishes.  Coat with the remainder of the béchamel sauce.  Melt the remaining butter and mix with the bread crumbs.  Sprinkle the crumbs over the top and bake from 12-15 minutes in a hot oven.  Serves 4-6 as a main course or 8-10 as an appetizer. 

Bechamel Sauce
6 tablespoons butter                                                ½ cup flour
5 cups milk                                                               Salt & pepper

Melt butter, add milk, and whisk in flour.  Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

~return to recipes