Scallops in Garlic Shallot Butter Sauce (GF)

One thing that always brings a smile to our faces are our favorite French foods and today’s Scallops in Garlic Shallot Butter Sauce is just what we need to brighten our days!

The combination of butter with shallots and garlic is a classic in many countries, especially France. But when you add scallops with their natural mild sweetness, magic happens!

After spending so much time in France, I half expect to step out our door and be on the street in Montmartre, heading to the individual shops to buy our foods for dinner or getting a meal at the little café where we were considered locals. I wish everyone could have that experience. It opens your mind to other cultures and people, discovering we are all more similar than we are different.

There is a reason that the world considers France the birthplace of fine cuisine and many chefs spend years there honing their craft, learning from the finest French chefs. That point was driven home again in recent years with the passing of Chef Joël Robuchon, following right behind the deaths of Chef Anthony Bourdain and food critic Jonathan Gold, which rocked the food industry.

This dish, Scallops in Garlic Shallot Butter Sauce, is commonly served as an appetizer but The Artist and I love it so much that I’ve turned it into a main course, especially perfect for special occasions. Because the sauce is so rich you only need a few scallops to completely satisfy you and your guests, helping keep the cost down and it is worth the splurge once in a while.

You can use scallops in any recipe that calls for shrimp or clams. For this recipe I chose to top them with gluten-free bread crumbs mixed with Parmesan and parsley for an exquisite crunchy texture that complemented their seductive tenderness.

While this is a seemingly complex and complicated recipe, if you take it one step at a time, it is very doable.

With each bite of the Scallops in Garlic Shallot Butter Sauce, we are reminded of the wonderful meals we enjoyed at our local French bistro and the many remarkable dining adventures around France in Paris, Dijon, and Chinon.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Scallops in Garlic Shallot Butter Sauce:

• GF flour blend, rice flour, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, paprika,
• Sauce: butter, shallots, garlic, white wine, bay leaf, thyme, parsley,
• Heavy cream or crème fraiche, freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Scallops: sea or bay scallops, butter, olive oil
• Assembly: parsley, fresh bread crumbs, Parmesan, butter,
• lemon wedges

 

PRO Tip: How to Buy Scallops

First, look for dry packed scallops and avoid wet-packed if possible. Your fish monger will be able to guide you if you have one available. Day-boat scallops are a form of sea scallops that are collected by hand, have incredible flavor, and are environmentally sustainable. Look for scallops that smell fresh, are slightly translucent, white, and firm to the touch. If they have a fishy smell, are slimy, or are grey or yellow, they have gone bad.

 

How to Make Scallops in Garlic Shallot Butter Sauce:

1. Season the flour with salt, pepper, and paprika and place in a shallow bowl. Set a clean plate next to the seasoned flour. Butter au gratin dishes or ramekins and set on a baking sheet.
2. Make the Sauce: Melt the butter over medium heat in a small 1-quart saucepan and cook the onions for about 5 minutes until tender and translucent but not browned. Reduce heat to low and stir in the shallots and garlic. Cook 1 minute longer then remove from the heat.
3. Prep the Scallops: Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Set onto the clean plate.
4. Cook the Scallops: Melt the butter with the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the scallops to the pan, leaving room between each one so the sides will cook. Sauté quickly for 2 minutes per side to brown them lightly.
5. Finish the Sauce: Pour the wine into the skillet with the scallops and add the herbs, cream, lemon juice, and the cooked onion mixture, stirring to blend into the sauce. Cook 3 minutes until barely cooked, the carryover heat and broiling will finish cooking them. Pull smaller ones out a little ahead of the bigger ones.
6. Assemble the Dishes: Place the scallops in the buttered baking dishes. Discard the bay leaf. If the sauce is not thickened, boil for about a minute. Spoon the sauce over the scallops and set aside. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate.
7. Preheat the broiler on High and set a rack about 8-inches from the broiler.
8. Combine the parsley, bread crumbs, and Parmesan in a small bowl, stirring to blend. Stir in the melted butter and sprinkle the mixture over the tops of the scallops. Slip the baking sheet with the scallops under the broiler and cook until heated through and the top is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

 

PRO Tip:

To make your own bread crumbs if you can’t find gluten-free ones in your store, use gluten-free bread, cut into cubes, and pulse in a food processor until you have crumbs.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• Chef’s knife
• Citrus reamer
• Food processor
• Oven-proof au gratin dishes
• Baking sheet pan
• Silicone baking mats

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

* You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

** The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. Wine is also considered safe. For some very sensitive people wine may cause issues. In a few rare cases, wine makers may use barrels that have minute amounts of gluten in the caulk. If you have issues with wine, look for a winery that uses only stainless steel containers to age their wines.

Be sure to use gluten-free bread crumbs if needed, or make your own from gluten-free bread. Cut into cubes and pulse in a food processor until you have crumbs.

You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

 

  

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

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