Scallops in their shells

Scallops in their shells

Make chef Tom Kitchin’s scallops in their shells – served with a creamy, French-style sauce and puff pastry casing – for a special occasion. This dish is a winner on Valentine’s Day – there’s romance and flavour in every magical mouthful.

Scallops in their shells

Looking for a worthy follow-up to this sophisticated starter? How about these robust and suitably Gallic pork rib chops with garlic and sage calvados sauce?

  • Serves icon Serves 2
  • Time icon Takes 30 minutes to make, 40 minutes to cook

Make chef Tom Kitchin’s scallops in their shells – served with a creamy, French-style sauce and puff pastry casing – for a special occasion. This dish is a winner on Valentine’s Day – there’s romance and flavour in every magical mouthful.

Looking for a worthy follow-up to this sophisticated starter? How about these robust and suitably Gallic pork rib chops with garlic and sage calvados sauce?

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
622kcals
Fat
43.3g (20.3g saturated)
Protein
18.3g
Carbohydrates
30.2g (7.7g sugar)
Salt
2g

Ingredients

  • 4 large diver-caught scallops on the half shell, from good fishmongers
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 small carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 small leek, finely sliced
  • 100g ready-made puff pastry
  • Plain flour for dusting
  • 1 medium free-range egg yolk, lightly beaten
  • Plenty of rock salt for serving the shells

For the white sauce

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely sliced
  • 100ml fish stock
  • 100ml white vermouth such as Noilly Prat
  • 100ml whipping cream
  • ½ tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

  1. First, make the white wine sauce. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat, add the shallot, then gently fry for 5 minutes until really soft but not coloured.
  2. Add the fish stock and vermouth, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the mixture is reduced by at least half and has a syrupy consistency.
  3. Add the cream, then reduce the heat slightly and warm through. Season with salt and pepper, then pass through a strainer or sieve. Stir in the wholegrain mustard and chopped dill, then set aside.
  4. Gently remove the scallops from their half shells (they may still be attached underneath – if so, gently cut away with a sharp knife) and separate the white meat from the orange roe. Rinse the scallops and roes, then put them on a plate lined with kitchen towel, then chill. Rinse the shells, pat dry and set aside.
  5. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan, then add the carrot and leek. Cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes until soft but not browned. Season, then allow to cool.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Take 2 of the washed shells and divide the cooked carrot and leek between them. Cut each of the scallops in half through the middle to form 8 discs, season, then place 4 scallop discs on each shell along with 2 of the roes. Spoon over 2-3tbsp white wine sauce and top with the other cleaned shells.
  7. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle, about 8cm x 30cm, and cut in half lengthways. Place a pastry strip around each pair of shells, joining the ends to seal the shells together.
  8. Using your fingers, gently press the pastry in place to ensure the seal is tight and there are no holes. Brush the pastry with egg yolk and put the shells on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 8-10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
  9. Remove the shells from the oven and run a sharp knife all the way around the centre of the crusts, so the top shells can be flipped off (as in picture). Serve on a bed of rock salt to hold the shells steady.

Nutrition

Calories
622kcals
Fat
43.3g (20.3g saturated)
Protein
18.3g
Carbohydrates
30.2g (7.7g sugar)
Salt
2g

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By

Tom Kitchin

Subscribe

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine

Rate & review

Rate

Reviews

Share a tip

Or, how about...?

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Scallop recipes

Scallops with lemon, basil and chilli brown butter

We used delicious. Produce Award-winning scallops, from The Ethical Shellfish...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Scallops with confit potatoes and a ginger and thyme velouté

Bring restaurant-style cooking to your home with Angela Hartnett’s scallops...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Scallop recipes

Scallops in their shells

Make chef Tom Kitchin’s scallops in their shells – served...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Rosemary seared scallops with pancetta, radicchio and toasted hazelnuts

With only a few simple ingredients, including rosemary and pancetta,...

Subscribe to our magazine

Food stories, skills and tested recipes, straight to your door... Enjoy 5 issues for just £5 with our special introductory offer.

Subscribe

Unleash your inner chef

Looking for inspiration? Receive the latest recipes with our newsletter

We treat your data with care. See our privacy policy. By signing up, you are agreeing to delicious.’ terms and conditions. Unsubscribe at any time.