Coquilles Saint-Jacques a la Provencale

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; saute the minced onions until tender and translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the shallot and garlic, turn the heat down and cook slowly for 1 minute; take off the heat until needed.

Detach each scallop from its shell by cutting through the muscle; pull away the frills and the gut sack and any other unwanted material, leaving the white adductor muscle and the orange roe.

Scrape the shells clean and wash in warm water; rinse the scallops in cold water and dry gently.

Cut the scallops a quarter inch thick.

Just before cooking, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour and shake off the excess.

Heat 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium-high to high heat until very hot; saute the scallops one minute per side to brown lightly.

Add the white wine and scrape up the browned bits; add the thyme, the bay leaf and the cooked onion mixture.

Cover and simmer 5 minutes; remove the bay leaf.

Butter each shell, spoon in the scallops and sauce, top with a generous grating of Gruyere and dot with butter.

Broil 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned and heated through.

Finish with chopped parsley.

Serve as a first course, with a chilled sauvignon blanc or a rose.