Scallop Croquettes

Total Time: 4 hrs 50 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 6 slices firm bread, crusts removed
• 1 cup unsalted butter, plus
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 lb mushroom, trimmed,then halved if large
• 2 slices onions (1/2 inch thick)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 lb sea scallops, tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary,then rinsed and halved
• 1 ounce gruyere, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 3 fresh parsley sprigs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Recipe

• 1 make bechamel sauce: cook onion in butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened.
• 2 add flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.
• 3 add milk in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking.
• 4 add salt and pepper, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
• 5 pour béchamel sieve into a bowl and cover surface with a round of wax paper.
• 6 make croquettes: preheat oven to 350°f tear bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor until reduced to fine crumbs.
• 7 spread 3/4 cup bread crumbs in a shallow baking pan (reserve remaining bread crumbs for coating) and bake, stirring occasionally, until dry but not golden, about 5 minutes.
• 8 heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook mushrooms and onion with lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms give off some liquid and onion is slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
• 9 add scallops and enough water to just cover them, then bring to a boil over moderate heat.
• 10 remove from heat and transfer mixture with a slotted spoon to processor, reserving liquid in pan.
• 11 add cheese and parsley sprigs to processor and pulse until all of mixture is minced, then transfer to a large bowl.
• 12 boil liquid in pan over high heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons and stir together with 1/3 cup béchamel sauce, reserving leftover sauce for another use.
• 13 add to scallops, stirring gently, then fold in dried bread crumbs.
• 14 chill, covered, at least 4 hours.
• 15 to form croquettes: put flour, egg, and remaining (fresh) bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls and stir remaining 1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper into crumbs.
• 16 roll level tablespoons of scallop mixture into ovals.
• 17 working in batches, coat ovals with flour, knocking off excess, then dip in egg, letting excess drip off, and roll in crumbs to coat.
• 18 t.
• 19 ransfer to a wax paper–lined baking pan as coated.
• 20 cook croquettes: cut remaining 2 sticks butter into 1-inch pieces and melt in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
• 21 remove from heat and let stand 3 minutes.
• 22 skim froth and slowly pour butter into a 10-inch heavy skillet, leaving milky solids in bottom of saucepan.
• 23 discard milky solids.
• 24 heat butter over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook croquettes about 6 at a time, turning, until golden brown all over, about 3 minutes.
• 25 transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and serve warm.