A straightforward gratin is, in my opinion, the most delectable way to prepare fresh scallops. Using the incorrect scallops would be the only true way to mess up this dish. Any scallops that have been immersed in a brine containing a preservative are incorrect. These are simple to spot since they frequently rest in a puddle of milky liquid. Typically, what you desire is offered as wild “day-boat,” “diver,” or “dry-pack” scallops. They are incredibly pricey, but well worth the money. French bread should be provided for dipping.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 10 mins |
| Additional Time: | 5 mins |
| Total Time: | 30 mins |
| Servings: | 2 |
| Yield: | 2 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, or as needed, divided
- ¼ cup creme fraiche
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 pinch kosher salt, or to taste
- 8 dry-pack sea scallops
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Brush 2 small gratin dishes with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
- Whisk creme fraiche, white wine, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt together in a bowl until sauce is smooth. Place scallops in sauce and toss to coat; let sit until flavors begin to blend, about 5 minutes. Divide scallops between prepared gratin dishes and pour remaining creme fraiche sauce over the top. Top with tarragon and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle remaining butter over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 4 minutes. Increase oven setting to broil and continue cooking until scallops are golden brown, slightly springy, and opaque, 2 to 4 minutes more.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 354 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 123 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 24 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Sodium | 605 mg |
| Sugars | 1 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
This is the most amazing recipe for scallops. We absolutely loved it.
I’ve had this saved in my favorites for a few years now and I’m glad I decided to make it. A great recipe – easy to follow (Chef John’s videos are worth it as a stand-alone even if you don’tmake the dish), quick to make, and easy clean up. I substituted sour cream and parsley for the creme fraiche and tarragon ’cause that’s what I had – and added two minced garlic cloves based on others’ comments. Four minutes in the oven – four under the broiler (the orzo took longer) – and we have this amazingly-easy, amazingly-delicious dish. Served on the orzo, with a spinach salad, a baguette, and a bottle of champagne; we had a delicious, elegant dinner that came together in about 30 minutes.
This is a very delicious and simple scallop preparation! I made these for our wedding anniversary dinner and they were a big hit. It is a must to have some bread to sop up the delicious sauce (I went with Chef John’s No Knead Beer Bread). The sauce is surprisingly light for the richness you expect. I left my scallops in a little longer than I prefer but it still turned out great.
Scallops are my favorite and this recipe was delicious. I used dried tarragon and it took a few bites to get used the flavor. I expected the sauce to be a little thicker. Mine took a few minutes longer to cook too. I love dill and will use it next time as another reviewer did.
Another winner from Chef John. My wife loved it! My only tweak was to use Aleppo Pepper instead of Cayenne Pepper. It was fast and easy to make. Chef john was right – make sure to have crusty bread ready for the sauce. It’s really tasty!
This scallop dish was exceptional. Delicious. I substituted cream cheese for Cremer fraish. Added lemon juice with zest and a tsp of sugar. Drizzled butter on top. Then baked for 8 minutes (because I added about 15 scallops instead of 8). Also added cooked spinach with water squeezed out after baking scallops just before stirring into al dente fettuccine. Plated on top of a piece of brown bread.
Delicious. Simple. Easy. Substitute all you want . Simply make it!
very yummy, I only had 6 scallops so I decided to add 2 extra large shrimp, I used the shells in the sauce, and then removed them, along with adding garlic, heating through and cooling before putting in a 8″cake pan to bake and broil. Yes I will make this again.
I added some garlic and it was great!
Absolutely delicious!
Loved it! I used heavy cream because I didn’t have crème fraîche. Served over French bread
Easily one of the tastiest things I’ve ever cooked. Super easy to make. Not an every day meal, but the tastiest of treats!
Amazing. This is the 1st time I have managed to get Scallops right, and as Chef John says, so easy. My boyfriend (who is a great cook) said he thought this dish was as good as any dish he could imagine being served in any fine dining restaurant. I did add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic.
This recipe is amazing. I made this for Valentines Day dinner. This is a keeper. The sauce is great for dipping bread.
We enjoyed every bite! The lemon added a great contrast to the cream.
Amazing recipe as is! Love the fresh tarragon flavor. This is my go to scallop recipe to impress.
Added a tablespoon of fresh garlic (minced) & used both tarragon and chives. GOOD beyond words
Substitute alert! I didn’t have any creme frache so I swapped for fat free half and half mixed with a little sour cream to make it creamier/heavier. I also doubled the recipe because I had more scallops. For the “dry” white wine I used what I had – Sauvignon blanc. I subbed dill for tarragon. I used a heavy hand with the Parmesan and I’m glad I did. The sauce is delicious! I served it over brown rice mixed with quinoa. It would be delicious over rice and linguine or angel hair. It would be awesome served with grilled buttered French bread – yummm. My advice-Make enough sauce!
Changed the wine to chicken broth, we love it make it often
I made it as directed & served on a bed of raw spinach. Beautiful & delicious. Heavy so 4 -6 scallops per person was plenty.
I will be making this over & over again – served over rice