Shroomies St. Jacques

How is this even possible?

A vivid memory from cooking school was the first time we made Coquilles St. Jacques (classic buttery seared scallops) served over delicate angel hair pasta. Oh my stars and garters, was it good. It’s the sort of dish that makes people think they could never go plant based. Well, think again!  jump to recipe

Because it was so memorable, and let’s face it, if you drown anything in butter it tastes good, even I had a pang or two at the thought of never making it again. At every turn in this plant based journey of mine, however, I am meeting with truly delicious real food, some of which effortlessly stands in for the classics. Which is to say, that meatless doesn’t have to mean tofu-full!

As my contentment grew, and my strictly classical French training became a less constant voice in my head when I cooked, not surprisingly, I found more and more options appearing. The scallops were somehow like the one that got away, though.  No more!  I have landed the big one: Shroomies St. Jacques.

Last week while I was playing with King Oyster mushrooms and pondering their stems, a light bulb went off – actually, it was like one of those old fashioned flash bulbs on a big paparazzi camera that blinds you for minutes: Eureka! Slice those stems and you have got yourself some scallops, baby! I was over the moon and jonesin’ to get cracking on making THE DISH.

The other thing that made it possible frankly, is the European Style Cultured VeganButter that I found at Trader Joe’s. It has a “je ne sais quoi” like no other dairy-free butter that I’ve found, and is genuinely delicious and buttery. There was no way it could fail. It did not.

I may perfect my recipe, but like the original, it’s hard to go wrong. These puppies have good, “reminiscent” texture and aren’t as earthy as say, a portobello. If you are looking for something swanky and plant based to do for a special night at home or to wow your friends with, here it is… said the self satisfied former omnivore.

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Shroomies St. Jacques

Total Time: 15 minutes

Serving Size: About 2

This is the unheard of, a truly elegant plant based dish, and can be done mostly ahead making entertaining easier, yay! Just like the original, it's a treat, so buy good vegan butter.

The first time I had this it was atop angel hair pasta, which is a classic presentation, but they would be nice on greens or in a soup too. If you want extra sauce for pasta, add 1/4 cup broth after the cognac. For extra browning, dust the "scallops" with some paprika or mild chile powder. before searing.

Ingredients

• 3 King Oyster Mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• About 4 Tbsp. "butter"
• Glug of cognac or brandy
• Squeeze of lemon, optional
• Scallions or chives, chopped

Instructions

1. Slice off the bottom bit of each mushroom to make the end flat, then slice 1/2 inch (1.25cm) "scallops" up to the where the fins begin. Reserve mushroom heads for another dish and put the nubbins in your stock bag in the freezer.
2. Brush the scallops with oil and season with salt.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add some butter and heat until just turning golden. Add the scallops and let brown well, then turn and brown the other side. Remove from pan and reserve.
4. In the same pan add the shallots and let sauté until golden brown, then add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Everything can be held here if desired.
5. When ready to serve, reheat the pan, then carefully add the cognac or brandy, stirring up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Let simmer until the alcohol has cooked out (give a sniff). Then stir in remaining butter, lemon juice, and the scallops. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let heat through, toss with scallions or chives and serve.

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All images and recipes Copyright 2016 Chris Fisk