Coquilles St. Jacques Provençale Recipe

Prepare scallops

Pat the scallops very dry with paper towels. Remove and discard the small side muscle if present. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust each scallop with the 2 tablespoons of flour, shaking off excess.

Preheat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot (about 2–3 minutes).

Sear scallops

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the hot pan and swirl to coat. Place the scallops in the pan spaced apart (work in two batches if necessary). Sear without moving for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until a deep golden crust forms, then flip and sear the other side 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until just cooked through (internal temp ~125–130°F/52–55°C). Remove scallops to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

Sweat aromatics

Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and cook 20–30 seconds until fragrant.

Build the Provençale sauce

Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste to the pan. Cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes to release juices. Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Allow the wine to reduce by about half (3–4 minutes). Stir in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the capers, chopped olives, herbes de Provence, and lemon juice. Simmer gently 6–8 minutes until sauce thickens slightly and flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the chopped parsley off the heat.

Assemble for serving (two options)

Option A (individual gratin shells or ramekins): Spoon a ladle of the Provençale sauce into four shallow gratin dishes or an ovenproof skillet wide enough to hold 3 scallops per serving. Arrange 3 scallops on top of the sauce in each dish. Mix the heavy cream with lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley; drizzle cream over the scallops and sauce. Combine breadcrumbs, grated Gruyère, and melted butter; sprinkle evenly over scallops and sauce. Option B (stovetop, no gratin): Place 3 scallops per plate atop a spoonful of sauce; skip the breadcrumb/cheese topping.

Gratin (if using)

If using the gratin option, preheat broiler to high and position rack 6 inches from heat. Place ramekins on a sheet pan and broil 2–4 minutes until topping is golden and cheese bubbly — watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove from oven and let rest 1–2 minutes.

If you prepared ramekins, serve each with toasted baguette slices or crostini on the side. For plated version, spoon warm Provençale sauce onto plates, arrange scallops on top, garnish with extra parsley and a lemon wedge if desired.

Serve immediately while hot. Leftover sauce keeps refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat gently and add a splash of stock or wine if it has thickened.