Coquilles Saint-Jacques à la Normande

The tide pulls back from the Normandy coast like a long-held breath, revealing glistening sand, scattered seaweed, and — if you’re lucky — the gentle curve of a scallop shell half-buried in salt and silt.

In these waters, kissed by cold Atlantic currents and the breath of the land, Coquilles Saint-Jacques flourish.

 

This dish, beloved in every coastal village from Granville to Honfleur, is more than a showpiece. It’s the celebration of the sea meeting the cream-drenched pastures of inland Normandy — of surf and soil in quiet communion.

 

Imagine plump scallops gently sautéed in butter until just golden, then nestled into a velvety sauce of white wine, crème fraîche, mushrooms, and cider. Topped with a dusting of breadcrumbs and gruyère, then gratinéed until bubbling and bronzed.

It arrives at the table still sighing from the oven, the shell hot in your hand, the scent of sea and cream rising to meet you.

 

In my aunt Claire’s kitchen in Bayeux, it was always served before Christmas Eve supper. She’d let us children sprinkle the breadcrumbs, feeling like chefs. And though the grown-ups had Champagne, we were allowed a sip of apple cider — a taste of the world to come.

Recipe: Coquilles Saint-Jacques à la Normande

 

Serves 4 as a starter

 

Ingredients:

 

• 12 large fresh scallops (with or without coral)
• 150 g mushrooms, finely sliced (~5 oz)
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 50 ml dry white wine (~¼ cup)
• 50 ml dry Norman cider (~¼ cup)
• 100 ml crème fraîche (~½ cup)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp flour
• 30 g grated Gruyère cheese (~⅓ cup)
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs (preferably fresh)
• Salt & white pepper to taste
• Optional: a splash of Calvados for flambé
• 4 cleaned scallop shells or small gratin dishes

 

Instructions:

 

1. Pre-cook the mushrooms:
   In a bit of butter, sauté the mushrooms and shallot over medium heat until soft and golden. Set aside.
2. Sear the scallops:
   In a hot pan with a bit of butter, quickly sear the scallops for about 30 seconds per side. Remove and set aside.
3. Make the sauce:
   Deglaze the pan with white wine and cider, simmer for 2 minutes. Add crème fraîche and reduce slightly. Stir in 1 tsp flour to thicken if needed. Season gently with salt and white pepper.
4. Assemble:
   In each shell or dish, place 3 scallops. Spoon over mushrooms and shallots, then bathe in the sauce. Top with breadcrumbs and grated Gruyère.
5. Gratinate:
   Place under a hot grill (broiler) for 2–3 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve hot, straight from the shell.

 

🍷 Wine Pairing

 

A crisp white wine from Normandy or the Loire, like a Muscadet or dry Chenin Blanc, will sing alongside this dish. For something Norman, a dry cider pairs beautifully — and Calvados, of course, may follow.

 

If you’re feeling festive, Champagne is never wrong.