Scallops and Mushrooms with Wine Cream Sauce (French Coquilles St-Jacques à la Parisienne)

Coquilles St-Jacques (St. James Scallops) is a classic French dish which is a luscious appetizer of scallops gratinéed with wine, garlic, and herbs. The scallop shell is the emblem of Saint James the Great. The saint's association with the scallop shell is based on a legend that he once rescued a knight covered in scallops; a variation on the tale is that, while his remains were being transported to Spain from Jerusalem, the horse of a knight fell into the water and emerged covered in scallop shells. As a result, Medieval Christians making the pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, often wore a scallop shell symbol on their clothing. And so, this delicious dish in a wine-flavoured cream sauce is served in a scallop shell and named after St-Jacques.

1¾ cups water
¾ cup dry white wine
1 small onion, chopped
1 bouquet garni
1 tsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 lb very fresh scallops
8 oz mushrooms, washed and chopped
6 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
½ cup heavy cream
kosher or sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
breadcrumbs
Gruyère cheese, grated

For the Bouquet Garni:
Wrap a sprig or two of parsley, two bay leaves, and a sprig of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon of dried thyme leaves in some cheesecloth. Tie into a neat bundle with thread or clean string.

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.

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.

Cut the scallops into ½" thick slices. If too long, cut in half horizontally.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and whisk in the flour. Do not let it get dark. Add 2-3 Tbsp. 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.

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.)

Preheat the broiler.

Broil the scallops until the mixture bubbles and the cheese melts and turns golden brown.

Makes 6 servings.