Pierre Gagnaire’s Clementine Scallops recipe & Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque
Pierre Gagnaire’s Clementine Scallops recipe & Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque
Seafood and champagne are one of gastronomy’s most enduring marriages. In this winter scallop dish, Chef Pierre Gagnaire takes this relationship one step further by directly infusing beautiful scallops with Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque champagne.
Two of winter’s sweetest ingredients—clementines and butternut squash—and one of its most bitter, chicory, come together to support the rich fattiness of the scallops. A glass of champagne, thrown over the scallops as they hit the pan, works to deglaze the caramelized clementine juice, bringing the dish to life with the floral crispness that only a brut can offer.
The cuvée is not just for cooking, of course. Perfect for a celebratory meal, these fragrant scallops are an exquisite match for a glass of Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque, displaying distinctive floral aromas and hints of toasted brioche.
“With the scallops, we are able to explore another facet: the fat of the scallops, the vanilla flavor, and the clementine, which adds sweetness and makes the champagne smoother. The notes are more subtle,” says Pierre Gagnaire.
Practical information
- People: For 4
- Preparation time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 16 large scallops (from Erquy or Normandy)
- a large slice of butternut squash
- the strained juice from 6 clementines
- 100 g fresh butter
- one glass of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut champagne
- 1/4 Puntarelle chicory
- olive oil
- fine sea salt
- Sarawak white pepper (ground)
Recipe steps
Step 1: Cutting the puntarelle
- Place 4 nice leaves that are the same size as the plate to one side.
- Cut the chicory heart into sticks.
Step 2: Cutting and cooking the butternut squash
- Peel the butternut squash. Cut it into 1 cm thick slices, then using a 4 cm diameter cookie cutter, cut it into disks, you will need at least 5 pieces per person.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan with a dash of olive oil. Place in the disks, brown them for 5 minutes on each side, then deglaze with the clementine juice and cook with the lid on for about 10 minutes over a low heat.
- Remove the disks onto a plate, while taking care to keep the cooking juices in the pan.
Step 3: Cooking the scallops
- Add the champagne to the frying pan, reduce it by half, then add the fresh butter.
- Season the scallops with salt, then cook them in the butter for 2 minutes. Keep warm.
Step 4: Presentation
- Brush the puntarelle leaves with the clementine sauce. Place one slice in the center of a warm flat plate.
- Place the scallops and butternut squash disks on each leaf.
- Season the thin slices of puntarelle with clementine sauce and scatter them on each plate.
- Finish with a tablespoon of sauce and a turn of the pepper mill.