Scallops Fenton

Scallops poached in white wine and lemon juice with sliced mushrooms and green pepper, then folded into a double-cheese sauce enriched with whipped cream and broiled until golden in individual scallop shells. This is old-school elegant entertaining at its finest.

The poaching liquid becomes the foundation for the sauce. After simmering the scallops just until tender, you drain and reserve that wine-lemon broth, then build a roux with butter and flour and use the reserved liquid to create a velvety base. Swiss cheese and half the Romano melt in, then folded whipped cream makes it impossibly light.

Don’t overcook the scallops during poaching. They only need a few minutes in the simmering liquid. Rubbery scallops can’t be saved by any amount of cheese sauce.

Chef Tips

• Simmer, never boil, the scallops. Gentle heat keeps them tender and plump.
• Stir the cheese into the sauce over very low heat. High heat makes cheese sauce grainy and stringy.
• Fold the whipped cream in gently off the heat. It should lighten the sauce, not deflate into it.
• Watch the broiler closely. The tops go from golden to burnt in seconds.

Variations

• Use Gruyere instead of Swiss for a nuttier, more complex cheese sauce.
• Swap scallops for shrimp or a mix of both for a seafood medley version.
• Serve in ramekins instead of scallop shells if you don’t have them.