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PrintThe elegant great scallop was well-known in Galicia in the Middle Ages and became the emblem of pilgrims returning from Santiago de Compostela. To attest to their journey, they were in the habit of bringing back a Pectens maximus shell, which they attached to their hat or coat – thus the French name of Saint-Jacques (Santiago) given to this mollusk. Zoology, however, gave it the less poetic name of Jacob’s comb. It quickly became one of the most recognizable attributes of the pilgrim, along with the staff, beggar’s pouch and wide-brimmed hat.
The “nugget,” or what is often referred to simply as the “scallop,” is actually the animal’s adductor muscle. It is made up of tender ivory-colored strands with a sweet mild flavor. The “scallop rings” are the brownish bumps surrounding the meat. The orangey-pink (female) or cream-colored (male) coral is a prized delicacy.
A good great scallop should be heavy and tightly closed with the mollusk inside alive, and the nugget of meat firm and translucent white.
Great scallops can stand up to all cooking methods but hate being overcooked, which makes them rubbery.
How to shell great scallops
Georges Blanc, Georges Blanc Restaurant, France
You can use great scallops that are already shelled, but the dish will lose a lot of its quality. The great scallop should reveal all its essence, beginning with its freshness.
Pick up each great scallop in one hand, concave side down. Slide a rigid-bladed knife inside to detach the meat from the flat shell. Remove the flat shell carefully. Cut off the coral, using a small pointed knife. Slide the blade of a table knife under the black part near the shell hinge, lift and remove in a single operation the beards that surround the meat and contain the sandy material. During this procedure, hold the meat in place in the shell with your thumb. Using a spoon, detach and eliminate the tough lighter-colored tendon on the side of the meat, which should stay attached to the shell. Rinse the shell carefully under running water for a final cleaning. Drain and remove the meat from the shell with a spoon.
Georges Blanc, Georges Blanc Restaurant, France
You can grill great scallops in a non-stick skillet, searing them in the pan and finishing them in the oven. Personally, I suggest simply placing the scallop nuggets on a small, very lightly buttered baking sheet. Just before serving, place them, unseasoned, into a hot oven set at maximum. Allow 3-4 minutes cooking time, depending on the size of the great scallops (which may be cut in half widthwise when very large). Check the doneness with your finger. They should be firm with an attractive appetizing quality, and slightly golden on the side touching the baking sheet.
Tip: by salting great scallops after cooking, you prevent them from “sweating,” which always detracts from the presentation.
If the scallops are very fresh, you can easily caramelize the juices when cooking them, which adds a pleasant nutty flavor.
What is the difference between a scallop and a great scallop (Saint-Jacques in French)?
These two names are the source of misunderstandings, depending on the country and region.
From a biological point of view, Pecten maximus, jacobaeus and fumatus are “true” great scallops and the largest representatives of the Pectinidae family. The other genera are known simply as “scallops” and include Chlamys (Icelandic scallop), Placopecten (sea scallop), Argopecten, Patinopecten, etc. Great scallops have one rounded and one totally flat and unridged shell, while scallops have two rounded shells.
Calories : 87.1 Cal
Proteins : 15.6 g
Fat : 1.5 g
Carbohydrates : 2.8 g
Sodium : 156 mg = 0.4 g salt
Per Hallundbaek, Falsled Kro, DenmarkPer Hallundbaek, Falsled Kro, DenmarkGiovanni D'Amato, Ristorante Il Rigoletto, ItalyFrédéric Anton, Le Pré Catelan, FrancePer Hallundbaek, Falsled Kro, Denmark
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