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Flavorful Coquille St Jacques Recipe – Creamy French Scallop Gratin with Gruyère

Difficulty:
3/5
Serves:
4 PEOPLE
Prep Time:
15 minutes
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Flavorful Coquille St Jacques Recipe

Coquille St Jacques Recipe

This Coquille St Jacques recipe combines golden seared sea scallops with mushrooms, shallots, dry white wine, heavy cream, Gruyère cheese, and crisp Panko breadcrumbs for an elegant French seafood dish. Featured on Dinner in Paris with host Romain Avril, this luscious scallop gratin is assembled in individual shell-shaped dishes with creamy mashed potatoes piped around the edges before being broiled until bubbling and golden.

The Inspiration

Coquille St Jacques is a classic French seafood preparation centred around scallops and a rich, savory sauce. In this version from Dinner in Paris, host Romain Avril pairs large sea scallops with mushrooms and shallots cooked in butter and olive oil, then finishes the mixture with white wine, heavy cream, fresh parsley, Gruyère, and breadcrumbs.

The final presentation is especially distinctive. Creamy mashed potatoes are piped around the edges of individual shell-shaped baking dishes, creating a decorative border. The mushroom cream sauce goes into the centre, followed by three seared scallops per serving. Gruyère and Panko breadcrumbs form the top layer before the dish is placed under the broiler.

Ingredients

  • 12 large sea scallops (size U10), side muscle removed
  • 1 lb white button mushrooms, halved
  • 2 large shallots, finely minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
  • 2 tbsp of butter, plus 2 tbsp butter (divided)
  • 120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
  • 120 ml (½ cup) heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 50 g (½ cup) grated Gruyère
  • 1/4 cup of Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 lb (2 cups) of creamy buttery mashed potatoes, home made
  • Salt and white pepper, to taste

Method

  • Pat scallops completely dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and white pepper just before cooking.
  • Heat 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
  • Add mushrooms and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Once they are golden brown and the liquid has evaporated, add shallot and cook 2 minutes until softened.
  • Add white wine and reduce by half (3–4 minutes). Reduce heat to medium and add cream.
  • Simmer for 4-5 minutes. It is done when the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
  • Stir parsley into the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper.
  • In a separate non-stick pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add scallops and sear for 2-3 minutes. Once golden brown, flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to broiler setting (high heat). Transfer mashed potatoes to a piping bag with a star shaped tip.
  • Pipe a nice line of mashed potato around the edges of 4 sea shell shaped baking dishes.
  • Divide mushroom and sauce mixture into the centre of each dish.
  • Place 3 seared scallops over the mushrooms. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
  • Pour juices from the scallop pan over the cheese and breadcrumbs.
  • Broil 2–3 minutes. When the cheese is melted and the topping is golden brown, remove from the oven.
  • Let sit for 2 minutes and serve hot. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This Coquille St Jacques recipe is ideal for a French-inspired dinner, special occasion, holiday meal, or elegant seafood night. Serving the dish in individual shell-shaped baking dishes gives it a classic presentation while keeping the creamy mushroom sauce, scallops, mashed potatoes, and golden topping neatly contained.

The piped mashed potatoes make the dish substantial enough to serve as a main course, while the scallops and sauce remain the centrepiece. A simple green salad or lightly cooked vegetable can add freshness if you want to balance the richness of the cream, butter, and Gruyère.

For entertaining, serve the gratins immediately after their short resting time so the topping stays crisp and the cheese remains warm and melted. The contrast between creamy potatoes, tender scallops, mushroom sauce, and crunchy breadcrumbs is best enjoyed straight from the broiler.

Final Thoughts

This Coquille St Jacques recipe brings together the elegance of seared scallops and the comfort of a creamy French gratin. Each component contributes a different texture, from the tender scallops and smooth white wine cream sauce to the buttery mashed potatoes and crisp Panko topping.

Find more recipes from Dinner in Paris here!

Follow us on Instagram and YouTube for behind-the-scene footage and exclusive content!

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Croquettes with Gribiche Recipe This Croquettes with Gribiche Sauce recipe pairs crisp, golden croquettes with a tangy French sauce made from eggs, Dijon mustard, capers, cornichons, vinegar, fresh herbs, and oil. Featured on Dinner in Paris with host Romain Avril, these delectable French croquettes have a creamy béchamel-style filling made with cooked chicken or ham and a crunchy breadcrumb exterior. The Inspiration French croquettes are built around a simple idea: transform a creamy savoury filling into crisp, bite-sized portions. In this version from Dinner in Paris, host Romain Avril begins with a thick béchamel-style mixture of butter, flour, warm milk, and finely chopped chicken or ham. Chilling is essential to this French croquettes recipe. The mixture is spread onto a tray and refrigerated for one hour so it becomes firm enough to shape into one-inch balls. Each croquette is then coated in flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs before frying. The Gribiche sauce provides the ideal contrast. Cooked egg yolks are combined with Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper before olive oil and vegetable oil are slowly whisked in. Chopped egg whites, capers, cornichons, parsley, and tarragon are folded through at the end, creating a textured, tangy sauce that balances the richness of the fried croquettes. Ingredients For Croquettes 200 g (7 oz) cooked chicken or ham, finely chopped 40 g (3 tbsp) butter 1/4 cup flour 250 ml (1 cup) milk, warm ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper Pinch of nutmeg 2 eggs, beaten 100 g (1 cup) breadcrumbs 50 g (½ cup) flour Vegetable oil, enough for 5 cm (2 inches) depth shallow frying For Gribiche Sauce 3 large eggs 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 tbsp capers, chopped 1/4 cup cornichons, chopped 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped Salt and pepper, to taste Method Make Croquettes Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook 2 minutes (do not brown). Slowly whisk in warm milk. Cook until thick, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in ham, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spread mixture on tray and chill 1 hour until firm. Shape into 1 inch balls. Set up breading station with 3 bowls (eggs, flour and breadcrumbs separately). Dip each in the flour, then shake off excess. Place each ball in the egg, then let excess drip off. Finally, roll each ball in the breadcrumbs until fully coated. Place all the balls on a tray until ready to fry. Heat oil to 180°C / 350°F. Fry 3–4 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes before serving. Make Gribiche Sauce Bring small pot of water to a boil. Place eggs in the boiling water gently and cook for 7.5 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water and place in an ice bath for 10 minutes. Once chilled, peel the eggs and cut them in half. Remove the yolks and place them in a mixing bowl. Chop the egg whites and reserve separately. To the bowl with the egg yolks, add dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk until uniform. Ina small cup mix together the vegetable oil and olive oil. Slowly drizzle the oils into the egg yolk mixture and whisk vigorously. Once all the oil is in and the sauce is emulsified, fold in the egg whites, capers, cornichons, parsley and tarragon. Adjust seasoning and serve alongside the croquettes. Enjoy! Serving Suggestions These crispy French croquettes are ideal as an appetizer, small plate, or savoury snack. Arrange the golden croquettes on a platter with the Gribiche sauce in a small bowl on the side so each bite can be dipped into the tangy mixture of egg, Dijon mustard, capers, cornichons, and herbs. The sauce is especially important because its acidity cuts through the richness of the creamy filling and fried breadcrumb crust. The capers and cornichons provide briny sharpness, while parsley and tarragon bring freshness. Serve the croquettes shortly after frying so the exterior remains crisp while the inside stays soft and creamy. For entertaining, this French appetizer recipe works well as part of a larger small-plate menu. The croquettes are easy to portion individually, while the textured Gribiche sauce gives the platter a classic French character. Final Thoughts This Croquettes with Gribiche Sauce recipe combines crisp texture, creamy filling, and tangy French flavour in one satisfying appetizer. The croquette filling begins with a classic butter-and-flour base that thickens with warm milk into a smooth béchamel-style mixture. Find more recipes from Dinner in Paris here! Follow us on Instagram and YouTube for behind-the-scene footage and exclusive content!

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