Scallops are so simple to make at home

is the quintessential baked scallop dish made famous, at least in the States, by Julia Child in the early 1960’s. (Coquilles St. Jacques translates to Shells of St. James and)

Bibi Hutchings, a lifelong Southerner, lives along a quiet coastal Alabama bay with her cat, Zulu, and husband, Tom. She writes about the magical way food evokes memories, instantly bringing you back to the people, places and experiences of your life. Her stories take you all around the South and are accompanied with tried-and-true recipes that are destined to become a part of your memory-making as you share them with your friends and family.

Cooked in ovenproof shells or ramekins, scallops are nestled within a rich sauce of wine, herbs and cream then topped with toasty, cheesy breadcrumbs. It is an elegant, visually appealing appetizer, luncheon option or at my house, a main for dinner, if portioned properly.

This gratineed preparation for scallops fell out of fashion over the years, though, usually in favor of the current methode du jour: a simple searing.