Scallop

Known as coquille St Jacques (France), conchiglie Saint Jacques (Italy), concha de peregrine (Spain).

Scallops are characterised by having two types of meat in one shell: the round, white and meaty scallop and its coral (or roe), which is red or white and soft. Many of the best of species come from Europe, such as the queen scallop (or queenie), the great scallop and the pilgrim scallop. The queenie is possibly the finest of these varieties, smaller and more delicate than the others, it has a soft, buttery texture and a mildly sweet, delicate flavour.

Although scallops are relatively expensive, you should only need to buy 3 or 4 large ones per person. However, if using smaller varieties, you'll need to allow between 10 and 15 per person.

Scallops may be cooked in a number of ways: they may be lightly poached or steamed, baked in the oven in butter with parsley, garlic and lemon juice, grilled with bacon on a skewer, fried with garlic and parsley or made into a chowder. When poached and coated in a Mornay sauce (a béchamel sauce enriched with egg yolks and flavoured with grated gruyère cheese) they become known simply as ' coquilles St Jacques'.