French · Authentic-ish French
Coquilles Saint-Jacques
233 kcal a serving, against 551 for the traditional version. That is 318 kcal off, or 58%, with 21.5g of protein. Serves 4. 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Plump king scallops are briefly poached in a strong bath of dry white wine and chopped shallots. The poaching liquor is fiercely reduced and whisked into a heavy roux made of equal parts butter and plain flour. After that, it gets flooded with heavy double cream. Sliced mushrooms are fried in plenty of butter and mixed in. Finally, the whole dish is blanketed in a thick layer of Gruyere and breadcrumbs before hitting the grill.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of double cream and 80g of butter down to 80g of half-fat creme fraiche
A traditional roux needs massive amounts of butter, which then demands heavy double cream to balance the texture. I skip the butter entirely, reduce the wine fiercely, and thicken the sauce gently with creme fraiche.
What it costs you. You lose that ultra-thick, unctuous mouthfeel. The sauce is thinner and won't stand up in stiff peaks like the classic version does.
100g of Gruyere down to 40g
Piling a mountain of strong Swiss cheese into the actual sauce completely overpowers the delicate, expensive scallops. I keep the cheese strictly on top for the crust.
What it costs you. The sauce itself lacks that stringy, melted cheese pull. You only get the savoury cheese hit when you break through the crispy crust.
Upping the mushrooms from 200g to 250g
Because there's significantly less fat, the dish needs physical bulk to stop it feeling like a tiny starter. Extra mushrooms soak up the reduced wine and add meaty texture.
What it costs you. Absolutely nothing. Mushrooms are fantastic and you should eat more of them.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 551 | 233 |
| Protein | 24.1g | 21.5g |
| Fat | 38.8g | 7.2g |
| Saturated fat | 23.7g | 4.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 18.8g | 13.8g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.4g | 9.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish French prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. molluscs, milk, gluten, sulphites.
The method is in the book
What you've got is a vibrant, elegant seafood dish. A heart attack in a shell is a different dish and you know where to find it. The scallops actually take centre stage instead of drowning in heavy dairy fat. The sauce is beautifully sharp from the wine reduction and just rich enough to feel like a proper French classic. It feels light and incredibly refined.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish French, along with 54 more. Buy the paperback