The scallop is a long story
“Pecten Maximu”s in Latin, which means “the very large comb” because the ribs of the scallop shell are arranged like the teeth of a comb. The scallop shell was already known to the Greeks and Romans since it served as a nave for Venus emerging from the waters. In Europe it is the symbol of the pilgrimage to Saint Jacques, one of the disciples of Christ, venerated in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. From Santiago the pilgrims brought back a shell as proof of their pilgrimage. Shells engraved on houses or on crosses made it possible to follow the many paths of Saint James that crossed Europe.
In the kitchen
What is eaten is rather the nut, therefore the muscle. The rest, coral and cotton candy, is used to make sauce bases or even, for some, a soup. Cold it can be enjoyed as a carpaccio. Cooked it is magnificent in a quick back and forth on a very hot pan. It can also be served with morels or a small béchamel sauce. Some even cook them over a wood fire.
Health side
The Saint-Jacques is a mine of omega 3 and proteins, and it is naturally rich in potassium and iodine. Cooking is done with a few ingredients like scallops, but it is done above all with the heart