Air Fryer Gratinated Scallops – Quick and Elegant Appetizer
A refined and quick appetizer, perfect for special occasions or family dinners.
Steps
- 1
Preheat the Air Fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- 2
Arrange the scallops in scallop shells or small ramekins.
- 3
Top each scallop with a teaspoon of heavy cream, a bit of minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- 4
Sprinkle grated cheese and breadcrumbs evenly over the scallops.
- 5
Cook in the Air Fryer for 10 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
Shopping list
12 scallops, 2 tbsp heavy cream, 1 garlic clove, 30g (1 oz) grated cheese, 1 tbsp fine breadcrumbs, salt, pepper
Recipe story
Gratinated scallops have origins in Mediterranean cuisine, where fishermen cooked fresh scallops on the beach with herbs and cheese. In France, the dish was refined with cream and Gruyère, becoming a classic appetizer. The recipe has been adapted for the Air Fryer, preserving the crispy texture and delicate flavor.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Garlic
Native to Central Asia, garlic was already known in ancient Egypt, where it was given to slaves to boost their strength. In ancient Greece, athletes consumed it before competitions, and in Rome, legionaries considered it essential for courage. During the Middle Ages, it was used to ward off vampires and the plague.
Cloves
Cloves, the dried buds of the exotic Syzygium aromaticum tree, were one of the most prized spices of the ancient world, often called 'aromatic gold'. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the clove trade, bringing them from the Maluku Islands, the only place they grew, and selling them at exorbitant prices in Europe.
