Coquilles St. Jacques Amoricaine

Ingredients

• 1 pound sea scallops
• squeeze of lemon juice
• 4-6 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbls. butter
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 large or 2 small leeks, White part only, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbls. white wine or water, or 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1-2 Tbls. grated cheddar or Gruyere cheese
• For white sauce
• 1 Tbls. butter
• 1 Tbls. flour
• 1 cu. milk
• 4 Scallop Shells, or individual baking dishes

Directions

Put scallops in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add lemon juice, peppercorns and bay leaf and bring to a boil. reduce heat and poach 5-7 minutes or until scallops have no transparent center when sliced.
Set the oven at moderate (350*F.
In a flameproof casserole melt the butter, add the carrot, celery, and leek and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the wine, water or chopped tomato and seasoning, cover and bake the mirepoix in the heated oven for 5-6 minutes.
Put a spoonful of the mirepoix into each scallop shell or dish.Drain the scallops, slice them and lay these on top of the mirepoix. Make the white sauce, adding to it ant juice from the mirepoix and season. Spoon sauce over scallops, sprinkle with grated cheese and brown under the broiler or in a very hot oven (450*F.) Serve at once.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: My Files
Submitted By: Eileen Werth
crzylegs@erols.com
Coquilles St. Jacques Amoricaine