Direction

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, onion, cloves and bay leaf to a low simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes and remove from the heat. Remove and discard the onion, cloves and bay leaf
2. Melt 7 tablespoons of the the clarified butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When melted, whisk in the flour until it forms a paste. Continue to whisk on medium heat until it smells slightly nutty. Do not go over medium heat or the the mixture will separate.
3. While whisking, pour the milk mixture into the roux. It will be lumpy at first, but will thin and thicken as you whisk. When smooth, remove from the heat and set aside.
4. In a separate small skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of clarified butter and add the seasoned breadcrumbs, tossing to coat. Mix until butter has been absorbed and is like wet sand. Remove and set aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Dab the scallops with a paper towel to dry them as much as possible and season with the salt and freshly cracked pepper.
7. Heat a large cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the scallops in the skillet to sear for 1-2 minutes on each side (depending on the size). Dry scallops should not have any residual moisture, but if they do, tip the skillet over the sink to pour out liquids.
8. Pour the bechamel sauce over top of the scallops and then evenly top with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 12 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned.
9. Remove and serve immediately.