The perfect opening for New Year's Eve dinner? Alain Ducasse provides it. Roasted scallops in their shell, Grenoble style, a sumptuous recipe for festive days.
Chef's cover photo: @Jean Luc Bertini- Pasco
The dish
Alain Ducasse, as we know, is not just fine dining. His offerings span across various formats at the foot of the Michelin galaxy, not neglecting the French bistro institution. In Paris, he dedicates a book, Classic French Comfort Food, to the three bistros he runs (Allard, Aux Lyonnais, and Benoît). For over a century, they have been serving their specialties to the Parisian public.
Among them, scallops roasted in their shell are a surefire crowd-pleaser, enriched by Ducasse with a classic Grenoble-style sauce, made of capers, lemon, and butter. The pairing is a Loire white wine, like a Pouilly-Fumé.
GRENOBLE STYLE ROASTED SCALLOPS IN THEIR SHELL BY ALAIN DUCASSE
Ingredients for 4 people
- 20 king scallops with frills
- 1 shallot
- Scallop frills
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 20g of butter
- 1 clove of pink garlic
- 1 bouquet garni
- 200ml of dry white wine
- 200ml of chicken broth
Method
One day ahead, carefully open the scallops and remove their frills. Discard the coral. Ensure that the white meat is well attached to the shell. Rinse with water and let them drain on a rack. Refrigerate for 12 hours. Purge their frills of impurities by soaking them in water at room temperature for 12 hours until they become translucent.
The day of serving, coarsely slice the unpeeled shallot. Sauté the scallop frills to release the remaining water and drain in a strainer. Heat olive oil with 20g of butter in a cast-iron pot. Sear the frills until well browned, then add the shallot, unpeeled garlic, and the bouquet garni. Deglaze with wine and reduce it by a third. Add the chicken broth and reduce by half. Pour the contents of the pot into a strainer and strain into a bowl. Set aside.
For the Grenobloise sauce
- 30g small capers
- 2 lemons
- ¼ bunch of parsley
- 100g diced bread cubes
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Method
Peel the lemon zest with a peeler, then cut it into julienne strips. Peel the segments, collecting the juice in a bowl. Dice the pulp. Blanch the zest twice in boiling water, then candy it for 10 minutes in lemon juice over low heat and set aside. Chop the parsley leaves. Toast the bread cubes in a pan with oil and drain the capers.
For the finishing
- 50g of butter
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon juice
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Cook the butter until browned in a small saucepan. Set aside. Season the scallops with a little oil, salt, and a twist of pepper, then roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Incorporate the browned butter into the sauce and whisk, then add a dash of lemon juice. Garnish each scallop with some seasoning, salt, finish with croutons, and serve.
For other recipes
Bistro: Classic French Comfort Food- Written by Alain Ducasse and edited by Rizzoli
Photos by Pierre Monetta
www.rizzoliusa
