Delightfully rich and elegantly prepared, Vieiras gratinadas con bechamel, or Scallops gratinated in bechamel sauce, are an exquisite Spanish fusion of seafood and creamy indulgence with hints of Parmesan for that perfect golden finish.
Ingredients:
- 6x hand-dived shel-on scallops
- 10 prawns
- 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
- 60g butter
- 100ml white wine
- 30g flour
- 350ml of whole milk
- 1/2 bunch fresh parley, very finely chopped
- 50g parmesan or grana padano cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Heat the oven at 180ºC and place the grid on the highest setting
2. Shuck the scallops off their shell and give both a quick rinse, here is a quick video if you need one. Pat the scallops dry with kitchen paper, then season with a touch of salt and black pepper
3. Heat a pan to high heat with some olive oil, then sear the scallops for about 30 seconds without touching them, then sear on the other side for 30 seconds. Reserve the scallops on a plate, they'll finish cooking in the oven
4. In the same pan, sauté the prawns on medium heat until they turn just pink, then switch off the heat and remove the prawns from the pan to chop them in small bites
5. Prepare the bechamel in the same pan again so the seafood flavours infuses our sauce. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan to medium low, then the cook chopped onion with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes
6. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the prawn bites to sauté for another minute before splashing the white and letting evaporate for a minute.
7. Melt the butter to the pan, then mix in the flour to let it cook the mixture dry into a roux, then turn the hob its lowest setting and progressively pour the milk into the pan whisking continuously until the bechamel is set into a smooth texture without flour lumps. Switch off the heat, adjust seasoning to taste and sprinkle some parsley
8. Place the emptied scallops shells on a baking tray, then add a tablespoon worth of sauce to nest the scallop on top of it before covering it completely with sauce and sprinkling with a generous amount of cheese
9. Place the scallops on the top rack of the oven and bake for just a few minutes until the surface is golden brown, keeping an eye on the scallops to avoid the mixture to burn
10. Serve the scallops on their shell with some crusty brad to mop up the sauce
11. Enjoy!
