Scallops au gratin with wine, are truly a treat we can occasionally indulge in with great pleasure. They are available both fresh, still closed in their shell, opened, and certainly frozen. Most often, it’s the fish market that opens them and sells them already cleaned. In any case, it’s an operation that does not require much skill. In fact, you just need to go with the tip of a small knife, into a corner of the shell, more precisely where it bends, and with slight pressure, open it. Inside, you will immediately notice a filament that will happen to be above or below the mollusk: this is the intestine. Along with the intestine, remove all those light and dark parts that are not the heart and red tongue. Finally, rinse under running water to remove the rest of the residual impurities.
The scallops or cappesante are very common in the Mediterranean Sea, but are also found in the North Sea and the eastern Atlantic: in this last place, however, is found the largest species, which reaches up to 6 inches in diameter.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8 shells
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 8 scallops already opened
- 1 clove large garlic
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Paper towels
Preparation
Surely, the scallops we bought were already opened by our trusted fish market. Even when frozen, they are found this way, making this recipe very simple and quick to prepare.
First, detach the mollusk from the shell and check that it has been cleaned well. Remove anything that has a color different from the white (nut) to the red (coral) of the mollusk and the black thread of the intestine. Do this step under running water, even if just to rinse them, then let them drain in a colander.
Finally, with paper towels, dry both the mollusk and the shells well.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the breadcrumbs, the chopped garlic and parsley (each of us can decide the size based on our tastes), and the extra virgin olive oil.
Add the salt and wine, and mix well. If the mixture is too dry, add more wine, but a little at a time to avoid making it too diluted.
Place the shells on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and distribute the mixture on top, but not too much, so that the flavor of the gratin does not overpower the mollusk. Drizzle them with a little extra virgin olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F, and let them cook for about 15 minutes, or until they are golden but not dried out. Avoid exceeding 20 minutes.
Serve our Scallops au Gratin with Wine, hot or at room temperature, but if you like, sprinkle them with the zest of an untreated lemon before serving.
Tips
You can store the Scallops au Gratin in the refrigerator for a few days, either raw or cooked.
If they are fresh, you can also freeze them to use when needed: sometimes I freeze them raw and already seasoned.
This way, when needed, I just have to thaw them in the fridge and put them directly in the oven.
I do this especially before important celebrations, so I don’t end up with a thousand things to do at the last minute.
I do this especially before important celebrations, so I don’t end up with a thousand things to do at the last minute.
