FOODIE FRIDAY RECIPE - IRISH SCALLOP "PIE"

If it's "Irish" you know it has potatoes!  This is a delicious variation on Shepherd's Pie and perfect for the Lenten season.  The recipe calls for baking in the traditional "pie" shape but I also like to bake it in ramekins for individual servings as a decadent first course.

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds fresh large scallops

1 carrot [diced]

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons butter

1 generous tablespoon all purpose flour

8 sliced white mushrooms

1/4 cup cooking sherry

1 cup light cream 

3 cups mashed potatoes [prepared]*

1 egg

Method:

Preheat oven to 350*

Prepare mashed potatoes as you normally would but beat in 1 egg and set aside. This is also an excellent use for leftover mashed potatoes!

Rinse the scallops and quarter them.  Poach them in the light cream, salt and pepper for 15 minutes.

Parboil the carrot, drain and set aside.

While the scallops are poaching, melt the butter in a small sauté pan and sauté the mushrooms. When the scallops are done, drain but reserve the warm light cream. When the mushrooms are softened, stir in the flour and mix well.  Then add the warmed light cream and the sherry while stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, add the scallops, sherry and carrot.

Transfer the scallop mixture to a casserole dish [ceramic pie or quiche dish works well]. Cover with the mashed potatoes and dot with additional butter if desired.

Bake for 25 minutes until lightly browned.

Serve with soda bread and your favorite ale.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

*prepare mashed potatoes with milk, butter, salt and pepper.  A tub of prepared mashed potatoes from your grocer's refrigerated section [Country Crock, Bob Evans, etc.] are a great shortcut trick for this.