Scallops And Champagne Sauce Au Gratin

* Note: Knead 7 tablespoons of softened butter with 1 cup flour to form a paste, and use as needed.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make the sauce, sweat the shallots in the butter without letting them color. Add the champagne gradually and then the stock. Reduce by about half.

Meanwhile, reserve 2 tablespoons of the cream, reduce the remainng to two-thirds, and strain into the stock. Lightly bind the sauce with the beurre manie. Whisk the egg with the 2 tablespoons of cream and blend into the sauce. Bring just to a boil, season with salt and pepper, and strain.

In a skillet, melt the butter, add the leaf spinach, wilt, and season. Halve the scallop flesh vertically and season with salt and pepper. Grease a saucepan with butter, put in the scallops, and cover with champagne. Carefully simmer the scallops until done, lift out, and drain. Boil down the poaching stock hard and add to the sauce.

Drain the spinach and divide among the cleaned, warmed scallop shells or ovenproof gratin dishes. Place two scallops halves on top of each shell, cover with the sauce, and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake on the top rack of the oven until golden brown.

This recipe yields 4 servings.