Scallops in France: a long history
A symbolic name
Venus, risen from the waters, is said to have sailed the seas on a scallop shell. Illustration chosen by Monsieur de France: Venus rising from the waters by Sandro Botticelli (1485)
Although they were already known to the Greeks and Romans , since one of them served as a boat for Venus, who rose from the waters, they are called scallop shells because pilgrims returning from Santiago de Compostela brought them back as proof of their pilgrimage. They were found hanging from their hats or their bourdon, or walking stick.As well as serving as a souvenir of their journey, the scallop shells hung on the pilgrims' hats or walking sticks provided them with a degree of protection, since their attackers would have been anathematized, i.e. excluded from paradise, if they had attacked them. By extension, scallop shells were also brought back by pilgrims who had made their way to Mont-Saint-Michel.
16th-century engraving of a pilgrim with his scallop shells. Illustration chosen by Monsieur de France on Wikipedia.
They appeared on the French table in the 18th century.
For a long time reserved for coastal dwellers, since they couldn't be transported easily inland, particularly to Paris, scallops were a dish for the poorand in times of famine. You really had to have nothing to eat to pick them up. What changed all that was the improvement of the road network, and therefore of transport, which made it possible to bring these still-fresh shells back to the châteaux where, like oysters, they became a luxury product. The 20th century finally made them popular, even if, because of their rarity, they have always been a delicate and rather expensive delicacy.
Today's France loves scallops.
The French love scallops, as evidenced by the fact that they consume 150,000 tonnes a year! They are mainly found on the coasts of Brittany - the Cotes d'Armor scallop benefits from an I.G.P: Indication Géographique Protégée" (Protected Geographical Indication) guaranteeing its origin - but they also come from the coasts of Normandy (Port-en-Bessin, for example) and northern France. They also come from the coasts of Normandy (Port-en-Bessin, for example) and northern France. Care is taken to protect the resource, as fishing dates and times are very precise, and above all, the size of the shells is strictly controlled to ensure that they are not fished too young, thus allowing them to reproduce.
Our scallop recipes :
Cooked scallops. Photo chosen by monsieur de France: depositphotos.com
How to prepare scallops
The easiest way is to cook the walnut (the white, pearly part). You can buy them as they are (often frozen), or buy the scallops from your fishmonger and have him or her remove the shells to keep them fresh. You can also do it yourself, but beware: like oysters, they're difficult to open, and you can injure yourself. To open a shell, place it in a tea towel in one hand and with the other, slide a flat knife (not too far) into the hinge and lift the flat side. Next, remove the pearly-white nut by cutting the muscle and running it under cool water.
Carpaccio of scallops
When they're fresh, the best thing to do is make a carpaccio. With a good, sharp knife, slice them thinly, add a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fleur de sel and you're ready to go! A little tip: to make them easier to cut, place them in the freezer for a while, so they'll hold together better when you slice them.
A close-up of a scallop. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: rixipix via depositphotos.
Cream-curry scallops
Serves 6: Mix 25cl crème fraîche with 1.5 tablespoons Curry powder. Next, take 30 scallops and brown them in a very hot pan, 1 minute on each side, season with salt and pepper. Then add the Cream and Curry mixture and cook for 2 minutes maximum. Great with fresh pasta.
