Day 55: Scallops mornay

“Absolutely delicious”, he said, “9 out of 10!”. As you can see, the Scallops mornay were a real hit. He loved them for their taste and I loved them because of how simple they were to make.

Quite a few ingredients in the recipe but simple to put together. I started off by melting butter in a large saucepan before sautéing sliced mushrooms for 3 minutes. I then added two tablespoons of flour and, after 1 minute, I added in white wine. Once it came up to the boil, I added in cream and chicken stock. After it came back up to the boil again, I added in the scallops which I halved instead of quartered as they were a bit on the small side. They simmered for about 3 minutes before adding in freshly chopped thyme and chives. I seasoned the lot before setting aside while I got on with the crumb topping.

I know - it’s far from Kenwood Food Mini-Choppers that I was reared but you must get one of these. They are a mini version of a food processor and a lot cheaper in comparison. I use mine quite a lot and it’s far easier to clean than a food processor. Anyway, when I looked at the recipe, I saw that I needed bread crumbs. “Aw, can’t make that recipe. I don’t have bread crumbs” I said to myself (literally!). Then I gave myself a reality check. Did I have bread? Yes. Did I have my mini-chopper? Yes. Well, there you go. Honestly, am I really becoming that kind of person who wouldn’t make a recipe because I hadn’t bought bread crumbs???! Well, one thing for sure is that I’m not buying bread crumbs again. My own homemade ones were far better and Dear Husband can verify that.

So, for the crumb topping, I needed fresh breadcrumbs which I made using good old white Brennan’s bread. I am convinced that Brennan’s and Gallagher’s bread are the nicest sliced white pan breads so that’s what I always buy. I simply cut off the crusts and chopped the slices into big chunks before whizzing them in the mini-chopper. I then melted butter in a saucepan, took it off the heat and added the breadcrumbs and freshly grated Cheddar cheese.

Using an oven-proof dish, I poured in the creamy scallops and mushroom mixture and sprinkled the crumb over the top. Under the grill the lot went for what was supposed to be 4 minutes; however, at 5 minutes, I started to smell something burning slightly and sprinted to the oven by which time the topping had gone beyond the golden brown colour that it was supposed to be and was evolving into the black-brown colour that I am now so accustomed to. After almost burning all ten fingers despite using oven mitts, I quickly served up the dish on its own.

The verdict…

Well, you know the verdict. You read it at the start but what I would say is that I will most definitely make this recipe again and probably in individual ramekins as a starter some night I am having people round for dinner. That’s the beauty about this recipe – as a starter or as a side-dish for a dinner party – either way, it’s made The List. And as if I can’t recommend it any more highly than that, according to Rachel, it can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours in advance or for a couple of months in the freezer! Love it. You will too. Enjoy this one…