Salmon Parisienne

Canned salmon and scallops poached in white wine get folded into a light roux sauce with fromage frais, fresh tomatoes, and parsley, then piled into shell-shaped dishes and topped with a cheddar breadcrumb crust. It’s a retro-British seafood gratin that looks far more expensive than it is.

The scallop poaching liquid becomes the base of the sauce. Wine, salmon juice, and the liquid the scallops release during cooking all combine into a concentrated seafood stock that the flour-butter roux turns into a silky, clinging sauce.

Fromage frais (or cream) stirred in at the end keeps the sauce lighter than a traditional cream-heavy gratin. It adds tang and body without weighing down the delicate fish.

Running the assembled dishes under the grill after microwaving gives you that golden, bubbly cheese crust that makes a gratin look and taste finished. Without it, the topping is soft and pale.

Chef Tips

• Chop the scallops after poaching, not before. Whole scallops hold together better in the microwave and you get more control over the final texture.
• Mix the roux thoroughly before adding the poaching liquid. Lumps in a small-batch sauce like this are hard to fix.
• Use fresh breadcrumbs, not dried. Fresh crumbs brown into a lighter, crispier crust under the grill.

Variations

• Prawn addition: Add cooked shrimp alongside the scallops for a triple-seafood version.
• Gruyere topping: Swap cheddar for Gruyere for a nuttier, more French-style gratin crust.
• Oven method: Bake at moderate heat for 20 minutes instead of microwaving, finishing under the broiler for the crust.