Coquilles Saint-Jacques: French Scallop Au Gratin with Mushroom Béchamel and Cheesy Crust Recipe
Coquilles Saint-Jacques is a classic French scallop au gratin starter featuring sweet scallops baked in a creamy mushroom béchamel sauce, topped with a golden cheesy crust. This elegant yet comforting dish is perfect as a seafood appetizer and combines the richness of cream, the earthiness of mushrooms, and the delicate flavor of scallops for a luxurious and easy-to-make entrée.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Appetiser
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scallops
- 220g / 7 1/2 oz medium raw scallops
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Mushroom Béchamel Sauce
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 eschalot (shallot), finely diced
- 200g / 7 oz white mushrooms, diced 8mm / 1/4″
- 2 tbsp plain flour (all-purpose)
- 1/2 cup hot milk (preferably full fat but lite milk works too)
- 1/2 cup hot thickened cream (heavy cream) or any full fat cream
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Cheesy Crust
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 50g / 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 1/8 tsp cooking salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced) to prepare for gratin baking.
- Prepare Scallops: Pat scallops dry with paper towels, remove the chewy side muscle (foot), and set aside. For medium scallops, slice in half for even cooking.
- Make Cheesy Crust: In a bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, shredded Gruyère cheese, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside.
- Cook Mushroom Béchamel: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely diced eschalot and diced mushrooms. Stir regularly and cook for 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are soft.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle in the plain flour and stir continuously, cooking for 30 seconds until the mixture looks pasty.
- Add Liquids & Season: Gradually pour in hot milk and cream, stirring constantly to create a smooth sauce. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Allow to simmer gently until small bubbles form, cooking for about 30 seconds, then remove from heat.
- Assemble Ramekins: Season the scallops lightly with salt and distribute evenly among 4 shallow ramekins (~11cm diameter, 2.5cm deep). Cover scallops generously with the mushroom béchamel sauce, filling all gaps and smoothing the surface.
- Add Cheesy Crust & Bake: Sprinkle the prepared cheesy breadcrumb mixture evenly over each ramekin to ensure a golden crust without empty spots. Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until the crust turns golden and bubbly.
- Rest & Serve: Let the baked coquilles rest for 2 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken slightly and develop perfect texture. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Scallops: Use about 50-55g per person. Small scallops are best kept whole, medium scallops sliced in half, and large scallops cut into thirds for even cooking.
- Remove the little side muscle (foot) from scallops if present, as it becomes chewy when cooked.
- Use panko breadcrumbs for a lighter, crispier crust. If unavailable, substitute with regular breadcrumbs.
- Gruyère cheese is preferred for its excellent melting quality and rich flavor. Swiss cheese or mild melting cheeses like Cheddar or Monterey Jack can be used as alternatives.
- The béchamel sauce is deliberately thinner than classic, using less flour and a half-and-half combination of milk and cream for richness without heaviness.
- Flat, shallow ramekins produce the best results and a generous golden crust. Adjust ingredient amounts if using larger or differently shaped dishes.
- Resting the dish for a couple of minutes after baking allows the sauce to settle and prevents it from being too runny.
- Leftovers keep for up to 2 days refrigerated. Reheat in the oven at 180°C / 350°F fan for 15 minutes to restore crust crispness. Freezing is not recommended as the sauce may split.
