Bay Scallop Gratin

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place 3 (6-inch) gratin dishes on a sheet pan.

To make the topping, place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or mix by hand, and with the mixer on low speed add the garlic, shallot, prosciutto, parsley, lemon juice, Pernod, 1 tsp salt, ¹⁄₂ tsp pepper and mix until combined. With the mixer still on low, add 3 tbl of olive oil slowly as though making a mayonnaise, until combined. Fold the panko in with a rubber spatula and set aside.

Preheat the broiler if it's separate from your oven.

Place 1 tbl of white wine in the bottom of each gratin dish. With a small knife, remove the white muscle and membrane from the side of each bay scallop and discard. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and distribute them among the 3 dishes. Spoon the garlic butter evenly over the top of the scallops. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the topping is golden and sizzling and the scallops are barely done. If you want the top crustier, place the dishes under the broiler for 2 minutes until browned. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve immediately with crusty french bread.