Recipe - Nero Wolfes Baked Scallops

1 cup Dry white wine
1 cup Water
1 Bay leaf
6 Black peppercorns
1 pound Bay scallops
5 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Shallots: minced
3 tablespoon Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Sprig parsley
1 pn Nutmeg
2 tablespoon Chopped parsley
Butter
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
One half cup Fresh bread crumbs
One fourth cup Gruyere cheese: grated

Heat oven to 350 F. In large saucepan, bring wine and water to boil. Add
bay leaf, peppercorns and thoroughly cleaned scallops. Return to boil,
reduce heat and simmer 34 min. Drain scallops, reserving broth. In small
heavybottomed pan, melt 3 T of the butter and cook minced shallots until
translucent but not browned. Add flour and stir constantly until it starts
to turn golden. Gradually stir in 1 cup reserved hot broth. Continue to
cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Add One half teaspoon of the
salt, sprig of parsley and nutmeg, and cook a few more min. Strain sauce
into bowl. Add scallops, chopped parsley, lemon juice and remaining 1/2
teaspoon salt. Stir well. Butter 4 baking shells and divide scallop mixture
evenly among them. Combine bread crumbs and grated cheese. Sprinkle over
filled shells. Dot with remaining 2 T butter. Bake 2025 min, or until tops
are golden brown.

NOTE: May be prepared in a casserole, rather than the 4 baking shells.
Posted to MCRecipe Digest by Nancy Berry nlberry@prodigy.net on May 17,
1998