• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Events
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Julia Child's Wine Poached Sea Scallops Poached with Fines Herbes

    Modified: Jun 29, 2022 · Published: Dec 18, 2016 by Ashley

    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Flip
    • Threads
    • Bluesky

    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 2 reviews

    A quick-and-easy, elegant seafood course that's sure to impress!

    My Supper Club often chooses specific chefs for theme nights, and our most recent one was Julia Child. So each of us had to choose a recipe from Julia Child to prepare for a massive, six course French-inspired dinner party.

    And it.was.awesome!

    Julia Child's Wine Poached Sea Scallops Poached with Fines Herbes: A quick-and-easy, elegant seafood course that's sure to impress!

    Growing up, I watched a lot of Julia Child's cooking shows. My favorite was Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home. It was captivating to watch her in the kitchen, though I didn't end up cooking any of her recipes on my own until a few years ago.

    So when this theme came around, I set off for the library to pick up a stack of her cookbooks.

    I really enjoy cooking with scallops. They're so elegant - they always make a meal feel special.

    One of the recipes from Julia's Kitchen Wisdom called for a poached preparation. Scallops without that nice golden crust?! It looked super simple, and it was unlike anything I had ever tried before. I knew I needed to try it out.

    Julia Child's Wine Poached Sea Scallops Poached with Fines Herbes: A quick-and-easy, elegant seafood course that's sure to impress!

    In the book, this recipe has a few options for variations. Both sounded awesome (Fines Herbes or Provençal - with Tomatoes), and I went for the first option, which seemed less labor intensive.

    I used a mix of fresh herbs here, and it really livened up the flavor of this seafood dish. Her recipe said that the cream was "optional", but I meannnnnn...

    This dish was a big hit with our Supper Club! It was such an interesting, light preparation for scallops. You could really taste their inherent sweetness, and the vermouth added that French flair. They were cooked beautifully, and the texture was beyond silky smooth.

    I could see this being beautiful as an appetizer, too, served as individual scallops on those large, flat-bottomed spoons. This is making me want to have another French-inspired dinner party!

    I rewrote the recipe and directions a bit, because while I love the conversational tone of Julia's recipe writing, it isn't how my brain works in the kitchen. I hope you give this scallop dish a try - it really is tasty!

    Print

    📖 Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Serving bowl of Julia Child's Wine Poached Sea Scallops.

    Julia Child’s Wine Poached Sea Scallops Poached with Fines Herbes

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli (Adapted from Julia Child)
    • Yield: 6 Servings 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    A quick-and-easy, elegant seafood course that's sure to impress!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 ½ teaspoons minced shallots
    • ⅓ cup dry white French vermouth
    • ⅓ cup water
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 dried bay leaf
    • 1 ½ pounds whole scallops
    • 1 tablespoon each fresh minced parsley, dill, tarragon, and chives (or any combination thereof)
    • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

    Instructions

    1. To a large saucepan, add shallots, vermouth, water, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer for 3 minutes. Add the scallops and let simmer 1 ½ to 2 minutes, just until lightly springy to the touch.
    2. Remove from heat and let cool in the liquid at least 10 minutes, to pick up its flavor. Remove scallops, discard bay leaf, and rapidly boil down until almost syrupy.
    3. Stir in minced herbs, then return scallops to the liquid. Briefly reheat scallops, folding in heavy cream at the end.
    4. Note: Simmering times for quartered sea scallops and bay scallops, 15 to 30 seconds; for calicos, bring just to the simmer.

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from Julia's Kitchen Wisdom by Julia Child

    Big Flavors Rating: 5 Stars

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @bigflavors on Instagram and hashtag it #cookbigflavors

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

    More Recipes

    • Bowl of sautéed shrimp with pickled onions, cilantro rice, guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream.
      Shrimp Burrito Bowls
    • Chicken and bell pepper stir-fry served over white rice.
      Chicken and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry
    • Chicken and veggies simmering in a saucepan.
      Chicken a la King
    • Two shallow bowls with rice and chicken paillards topped with tomato-dill relish.
      Dill Chicken Paillards with Tomato-Dill Relish

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Robin Smith

      June 07, 2023 at 6:36 pm

      I love this website, the commentary's and the recipes. Who wouldnt enjoy having "Julia Child Night & eating something French and delicois. This is an inspiring place to find a recipe for "tonight"!

      Reply
      • Ashley

        June 12, 2023 at 11:35 am

        Thanks for the kind words, Robin! I hope you have a fun Julia Child night of your own sometime soon 🙂

        Reply
    2. Mary Hardy

      September 03, 2023 at 11:03 pm

      I gave the recipe 5 stars from just reading it but want your suggestion of what kind of veg or salad and best potato dish to serve with it.

      Reply
      • Ashley

        September 05, 2023 at 1:35 pm

        This would be lovely served with mashed potatoes, risotto, or polenta. I think it'd be great over a long pasta like linguine. You could also toast up sliced baguette and use it to dunk into the liquid from the scallops. I'd rub it with a clove of garlic once it comes out of the oven or grill to enhance the flavor. For vegetables I have a recipe for Easy Sheet Pan Roasted Green Beans with Lemon that would be delicious alongside. Asparagus or carrots would also work. For salad, I'd go with Caesar or some mixed greens with a quick vinaigrette over top. Hope that's helpful!

        Reply

    Leave a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

    More about me →

    Favorite Spring Recipes

    • Mayo-free Deviled Eggs
    • Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad with Homemade Pita Chips
    • Birthday Cake Confetti Pancakes with Sprinkles
    • Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake
    • Garlicky Mushroom Ricotta Pizza with Wild Arugula + Aged Balsamic
    • Slow Cooker "Roasted" Beets
    • Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots
    • Italian Ricotta Cookies
    • Rhubarb Custard Pie
    • Easy Instant Pot Herbed Potato Salad

    Mother's Day + Easter Brunch

    • Epic Brunch Board on a Budget
    • Baby Spinach and Cheddar Quiche Made with Fresh Spinach
    • Turkey Salad Tea Sandwiches with Dried Cherries
    • Great Grandma Maria Francesca Cardile's Italian Easter Cookies
    • Brie Waffle Bites
    • Challah French Toast
    • Creamsicle Smoothies
    • DM Bloody Mary
    • Turkey Scotch Eggs
    • The Herbalist

    Popular Now

    • Overhead view of spinach and cheddar quiche with forks.
      Baby Spinach and Cheddar Quiche Made with Fresh Spinach
    • Close up of a few cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée.
      Falafel-Spiced Cucumber Bites
    • Overhead shot of a plate with rectangles of white coconut jelly.
      Coconut Jelly
    • Falafel in pita bread with toppings served with yogurt-herb sauce.
      Falafel with Yogurt-Herb Sauce
    • Overhead view of assorted breakfast items displayed on a board.
      Epic Brunch Board on a Budget
    • No Mayo Deviled Eggs: Skip the mayo in this appetizer favorite - guaranteed to be a hit at any party!
      No Mayo Deviled Eggs

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Ashley
    • Press + Recognition
    • Events
    • Virtual Cooking Classes
    • Podcast
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up to receive delicious recipes and exclusive content right to your inbox!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no added cost to you.

    ©2006–2025  BIG FLAVORS FROM A TINY KITCHEN LLC | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    *Third-party advertisers may collect or use non-personally identifiable information to serve you more relevant ads.