Christmas in France – Coquilles St. Jacques

The second country we’re visiting is France. What do they eat in France for Christmas? One thing that is pretty prevalent is the seafood course – and that usually means scallops!

Christmas Food Traditions in France

Christmas dinner is eaten either late on Christmas Eve, or at lunch time on Christmas day.

It often starts with appetizers and champagne. Foie gras is one popular appetizer, but very much for the wealthy.

The next course would be seafood and more champagne. Chilled oysters find their way on most tables, as do the plentiful scallops. Smoked salmon and chilled prawns are also popular.

The main course is often capon or turkey. Wild game, like pheasant or wild boar are also main course options. And champagne – champagne with every course!

The main course is followed by a cheese platter and green salad.

Finally, dessert. It wouldn’t be France without dessert!! The dessert most often served is one we’re familiar with – Bûche de Noël, the chocolate yule log! Along with the log, there would be chocolate truffles. And more champagne –

Today we celebrate the scallops. They are a spendy option, but there is nothing so delicious as the sweetness of a sea scallop.

Making the Coquilles St. Jacques

There are steps to making this dish, but it really is simple. The scallops will be cooked very last, but they do need some time to sit on paper towels to remove as much water as possible. The plan is to sear the scallops, not steam or boil them. If they aren’t completely dry, the water will in them will release in the pan and they won’t sear.

Lay the scallops on paper towels or coffee filters and let them sit about 15 minutes. Flip them over and place them on new, dry towels. Let them sit another 15 minutes.

Lay the gratin dishes on a cookie sheet and place them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Make the topping first. Place the bread, parsley, grated gruyère and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor.

Process until everything is crumbly and incorporated together. Set aside.

Next, the sauce. Keep in mind the sauce will seem a little watery, but it’s going to soak up some of the topping and will get thick and delicious in the end.

Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a medium saucepan.

Stir in the shallot, mushrooms and garlic. Gently cook until the mushrooms are soft and golden, and the shallot is translucent.

Stir in the wine and continue to stir until everything starts to thicken.

Remove from the pan and set it aside.

Now melt the remaining butter in the pan.

Stir in the flour and cook gently until it’s a golden brown and getting thick.

Using a whisk, stir in the clam juice and the cream. Keep whisking until it while you add the oregano. Whisk until it starts to thicken a little.

Now stir in the shallot mixture and cook on low until the sauce has thickened. Again, it is supposed to be a loose sauce. Set it aside.

The scallops. Place a heavy skillet on the stove and heat it on high. When the skillet is hot, carefully add the remaining olive oil.

When it is hot – like 350 to 400 degrees hot – gently lay the scallops into the oil. Sear them for about 1 to 2 minutes, then turn them and sear the other side. They need to have a beautiful, brown crust.

Now to assemble.

Take the gratin dishes out of the oven and turn the oven to broil.

Place 5 scallops in each dish.

Top them with 1/2 of the sauce, then 1/2 of the topping.

Broil them for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and brown.

Let them cool just a little, then serve them.

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 4 votes

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Coquilles St. Jacques

A delicious dish of scallops topped with a beautiful cream sauce and a cheesy bread crumb mixture. It is then broiled to perfection.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, main dish

Cuisine: Christmas, France, French, seafood, shellfish

Keyword: bread crumbs, Christmas, France, French cooking, garlic, gruyere, scallops, shallot, wine

Servings: 2 servings

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 10 large sea scallops
• 5 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 slices crusty bread (slightly stale works best)
• 1/8 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 cup grated gruyère
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (European is the best for this)
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 2/3 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine (like chardonnay)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup bottled clam juice
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Lay the scallops on paper towels or coffee filters and let them sit about 15 minutes. Flip them over and place them on new, dry towels. Let them sit another 15 minutes.

2. Place the gratin dishes on a cookie sheet and place them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bread crumb topping

1. Make the topping first. Place the bread, parsley, grated gruyère and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor. Process until everything is crumbly and incorporated together. Set aside. 

The Sauce

1. Next, make the sauce. Keep in mind the sauce will seem a little watery, but it's going to soak up some of the topping and will get thick and delicious in the end.

2. Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a medium saucepan.

3. Stir in the shallot, mushrooms and garlic. Gently cook until the mushrooms are soft and the shallot is translucent.

4. Next, stir in the wine and continue to stir until everything starts to thicken.

5. Remove from the pan and set it aside.

6. Now melt the remaining butter in the pan. Stir in the flour and cook gently until it's a golden brown and getting thick.

7. Using a whisk, stir in the clam juice and the cream. Keep whisking until it while you add the oregano. Whisk until it starts to thicken a little.

8. Now stir in the shallot mixture and cook on low until the sauce has thickened. Again, it is supposed to be a loose sauce. Set it aside.

Searing the Scallops

1. The scallops. Place a heavy skillet on the stove and heat it on high. When the skillet is hot, carefully add the remaining olive oil.

2. When it is hot - like 350 to 400 degrees hot - gently lay the scallops into the oil. Sear them for about 1 to 2 minutes, then turn them and sear the other side. They need to have a beautiful, brown crust.

Putting it all together -

1. Take the gratin dishes out of the oven and turn the oven to broil. 

2. Place 5 scallops in each dish.

3. Top them with 1/2 of the sauce, then 1/2 of the topping.

4. Broil them for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and brown.

5. Let them cool just a little, then serve them. 

Recipe Notes

 

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

Joyeux Noël – Merry Christmas

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