Baked Scallops with Cheese and Wine Sauce

This is a very old recipe but none the less a very tasty one. The choice of cheese you use is entirely up to you, although I would stay away from really strong cheeses or you will lose the flavor of the scallops.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 peppercorns
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tblsp butter 
• 1 ½ tblsp all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup milk
• salty and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup finely diced fontina cheese
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 12 scallops on the ½ shell
• 2 tblsp dry breadcrumbs
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Place the wine, bay leaf, peppercorns, and onion in a small pan and bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by three quarters. Strain the liquid and set aside.



Melt the butter in a small pan and add the flour, cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously, then remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk and the wine reduction, stirring until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and continue stirring until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and black pepper, then add the fontina and the mustard.

Preheat the broiler. Spoon this mixture over the scallops and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Cook under the broiler until crisp and golden brown and serve immediately.



Tip for Buying and Storing Scallops:
Be sure to smell them on the premises, since scallops are perishable. They should have a sweet mild fresh odor; a strong-smelling scallop is a stale one. Refrigerate them in a leak-proof plastic bag in a bowl of ice, and cook them as soon as possible.