Scallops Bordeaux style

Every few weeks we go to one of the northern suburbs. It is impressive to see the many large, fairly new and well kept houses there, presumably owned by hard working ordinary Australians – probably non-professionals in the main.

In Thomastown, near one of these suburbs, there is an industrial estate that includes large food retail outlets – with prices and quality that compare favourably with Victoria Market. None of the inflated prices we find in the Eastern Suburbs. They are in Lipton Drive Thomastown (Melways 8 F11).

Last time, besides buying a side of lamb, continental sausages and cheeses, we bought a pack of frozen scallops from “The Big Butcher”. We used to buy them in 1964 off a trawler at the Mornington pier for one and six pence per pound as they were being taken from their shells!

Our favourite recipe was Scallops Bordeaux style.

Heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan, add half a carrot, 1 onion, 2 spring onions and two stalks of celery finely chopped. Sauté the vegetables until lightly browned, add a pinch of powdered thyme and a bay leaf then cook mixture on a low heat for 15 minutes. Add 1.5 kg washed and dried scallops then brown them lightly. Add 1 cup of white wine and 3 peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes – simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into the pan ¼ cup of heated brandy then set it aflame. Remove the scallops keeping them warm them reduce the pan juices to 1 ½ cups, add 4 tablespoons of butter, cook for 2 minutes then return scallops. Serve hot garnished with triangles of toast.

Serve with a chilled “Gossips” Semillon Sauvignon Blanc at less than $5 per bottle at Dan Murphy’s.

It is a very special dish, not too hard and you will love it!