Coquilles St. Jacques

Name: Coquilles St. Jacques
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. butter, divided; 12 RITZ Crackers, crushed; 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese; 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley; ½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves (from 4 sprigs); 1 lb. sea scallops; 1 onion, chopped; ½ lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; ¼ cup white wine; 1 pkg. Neufchatel cheese, cubed; 2 Tbsp. milk

Impress with this classic French dish of scallops topped with a crunchy mixture of buttery RITZ Crackers and Parmesan cheese lightly browned under the broiler.

Prep time:

0 min

Total time:

0 min

Servings:

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredient list

2 Tbsp. butter, divided
12 RITZ Crackers, crushed
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves (from 4 sprigs)
1 lb. sea scallops
1 onion, chopped
½ lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup dry white wine
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Neufchatel cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp. milk

Directions

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter; mix with cracker crumbs, Parmesan and herbs.

Add 1/2 Tbsp. of the remaining butter to medium skillet; heat on medium-high heat until melted. Add half the scallops; cook 1 min. on each side or until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining scallops.

Melt remaining butter in same skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions; cook and stir 3 min. Stir in mushrooms and garlic; cook 5 min. or until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Add wine and any liquid released from scallops; cook 3 min. or until most the liquid is cooked off. Stir in Neufchatel cheese and milk; cook and stir 5 min. on medium-low heat until Neufchatel cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended. Return scallops to skillet; cook 4 min., stirring occasionally. Spoon into 4 (8-oz.) ramekins or 9-inch pie plate; sprinkle with crumb mixture.

Heat broiler. Broil scallop mixture, 6 inches from heat, 2 min. or until top is golden brown.

Recipe Tips

Cooking Know-How
It is important to drain any excess liquid released from the scallops and add it to the mushrooms while cooking. It will add more flavor to the dish and, most importantly, will make the dish creamier.
Substitute
Use 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves in place of the fresh thyme.
Substitute
For a change of pace, substitute other fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake and portobello, for all or part of the cremini mushrooms.