Coquille of Seafood with Mushrooms in Mornay Sauce (Buxton Inn)

This recipe is taken from the cookbook Great Cooking with Country Inn Chefs. I grew up in Granville and had this dish at the beautiful and historic Buxton Inn when I was only four years old, and I never forgot it. It's quite a classy meal, one that would work perfectly for a romantic or holiday dinner. You must serve it in scallop shells for the ultimate effect! I was so excited to find this recipe. Haven't made it yet, so if you beat me to it, let me know how it is! Cooking times are just a guess. (Scallop shells can be found in kitchen supply shops. Can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish.)

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 12-16 shells

Ingredients

• Seafood/Mushroom Preparation

• 2  tablespoons butter
• 2  cups  sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1  lb bay scallop (Reserve 12-16 shells for baking and serving in)
• 1  lb  popcorn shrimp
• 3⁄4 cup sherry wine
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  tablespoons  minced scallions
• 1⁄2 lb  cooked  crabmeat, separated with fork
• 1⁄4 chopped pimiento
•  parmesan cheese
•  paprika

• Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup cooking sherry
• 1  pint half-and-half
• 1  pint heavy cream
• 1⁄8 cup  chicken stock or 1⁄8 cup chicken broth
• 1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1⁄8 teaspoon thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and saute the mushrooms until tender and the liquid disappears.
2. Set the mushrooms aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, simmer the scallops, shrimp, sherry, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and scallions for 5 minutes in enough water to cover.
4. Drain the liquid in a separate saucepan and cook it over higher heat, reducing it to 1 cup.
5. Set it aside for making sauce.
6. Add the crabmeat, pimiento, and mushrooms to the scallops and shrimp.
7. Spoon about 2 ounces of the mixture into each shell.
8. Place the shells in a shallow baking pan.
9. Pour a little water in the pan to create a moisturizing steam around the shells.
10. In the top of a double boiler, combine all of the sauce ingredients except the butter and flour.
11. Bring the mixture just to a boil.
12. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.
13. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
14. In a small saucepan, make a roux by cooking the butter and flour over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
15. Add the sauce to the roux, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.
16. Pour the sauce evenly over the seafood, but don't allow the sauce to spill over the shell.
17. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika.
18. Bake the shells for 10 minutes or until the top is brown and bubbly.