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Saint-Jacques au Beurre Blanc
Seared scallops with a classic white-wine beurre blanc
40 min
Serves 6 (starter)
Intermediate
Scallops
- 15 scallops (3 per person)
- butter (to sear)
- trout roe (to finish)
- cressonnette and green oil (optional)
Réduction
- 600 g white wine
- 100 g white wine vinegar
- 2 shallots
- 3 thyme sprigs
- zest of 1 mandarin
- 10 peppercorns
- 2 garlic cloves
Beurre blanc
- 100 g réduction (from above)
- 5 g salt
- 200 g cold butter
A festive starter of seared scallops with a proper beurre blanc. The sauce is built on a reduction of white wine, vinegar and shallots, then mounted with plenty of cold butter. Served at Christmas with trout roe and, if you like, a little cress and green oil.
Method
Réduction
- Roughly chop the shallots. Combine the white wine, vinegar, shallots, thyme, mandarin zest, peppercorns and garlic in a pan and reduce until syrupy. Strain.
Beurre blanc
- Measure 100 g of the strained reduction into a pan with the salt. Over gentle heat, whisk in the cold butter a little at a time to a smooth, emulsified sauce. Keep it warm, off strong heat, so it does not split.
Sear the scallops
- Pat the scallops dry. Sear them in hot butter for a minute or so a side, until golden but still just translucent inside. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve
- Plate the scallops, nap with the beurre blanc, and finish with trout roe. Add a little cressonnette and green oil if using. Serve at once.
Background
The beurre blanc lives or dies on temperature. Mount the butter off strong heat and keep the finished sauce warm rather than hot, or the emulsion breaks.
Buy dry-packed scallops and dry them well before searing. Wet scallops steam instead of colouring.
Mistakes I've Made
- Splitting the beurre blanc. Too much heat breaks the emulsion. Whisk the butter in off strong heat and hold the sauce warm, not hot.
- Steaming the scallops. Dry the scallops and use a properly hot pan so they colour rather than poach.
Sources
- Saint-Jacques au beurre blanc —