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wesza 17 years, 4 months ago.
dbear, Coquille St. Jacques are prepared in France with the roe attached, they are served that way throughout Europe. As wesza stated above, the rest of the world buys them that way. Ours are shucked at sea and all is removed except the white muscle. I used to have a friend who was a scalloper out of Boston and he would save some for me, alive and in the shell……such a delicacy, they are wonderful eaten raw. Unfortunately my friend and his boat went down in a storm off No Man’s Land [V]
We used to buy fresh "Bay Scallops" from Florida and the Gulf Ports as well as the Carolina’s on the West Coast and New York in 6 pound buckets. Should be available almost anywhere in the Southern States. Irwin
Bushie, KimChee, & Irwin: Thanks for the info. I’ll try them in all the ways I can, though scallops in the South are usually frozen.
Thanks for the pacseafood link. Excellent site; I have always really liked scallops but have never really known much about them. This site really filled in the blanks. Kind of makes me wonder how Coquille St. Jacques is supposed to be cooked, with or without roe. This is one of my favorite dishes, but I’ve never had it with scallop roe. Anyone?
quote:
Originally posted by wesza
Bushie: The "Singing Scallops", or "Divers Scallops", actually have a much more interesting shell. It’s an interesting pink color, and has a stirated wavy shell. I save them up for my granddaughters who save them for decorations and gifts as they feel that Abalone and Singing Scallop Shells are some of natures prettiest things. The Chinese use dry Scallops as a base for many special soups and especially rice gruel, congee or chouck. One very special Soup [also very expensive] is "Sharks Fin with Crab and Scallop Fat’. Fat in this soup means the Roe. Often the Scallops with Roe, served at Sushi Bars is the Nitrogen Flash Frozen Variety frozen immediately after being caught and shipped from Japan. On the west coast it is occasionally prepared from live "Singing Scallops. Irwin
Thanks for the info, wesza! I’ll check around at some of the sushi bars here; the one nearest to me has fish and specialties flown in from Japan 3 times a week. Maybe I’ll get lucky…
OOOOPS ! Sorry somehow I managed to post the Quote without my response. "Singing Scallops", are reguarly served "Raw", to order from Sushi Bars, that have a fresh Marine Seafood tank, as are Shrimps, Prawns and other shellfish. Diver Scallops are those harvested by Divers, and may be caught anywhere where permitted. "Singing Scallops" from the Pacific Northwest are a species native to this area. There are appearently others with different sizes, as well as shell coloration sometimes caught on the east coast. They are also served live from the tank at many Chinese Restaurants, prepared to your specifications. Either Steamed, Sauted or Fried to order. My favorite way of ordering them is Sauted with Garlic, Ginger, Fermentated Black Bean Sauce and Far Doo Wine. The name "Singing Scallops" evolved due to the way they open their Shell to collect water, then Snap them closed forcing the water to expell, propelling the Scallops over the Sandy Bottoms they prefer, Divers advise that this sounds like they are singing, the move quite fast, but the divers with their fins move faster. Irwin
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Originally posted by Rick F.
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Originally posted by wesza
"Singing Scallops" are generally served live, fresh from the tank. They are medium sized scallops, with the roe sack attached.Two questions.
(1) Does that mean they are not cooked, or that they are alive when cooked?
(2) I thought "diver scallops" meant simply scallops that were harvested by actual divers rather than rakes or something. Was I mistaken?
RICK F.: We were told at "Emperor’s Choice" in Chicago that the scallops were alive right before they were cooked for us. That’s what made them so expensive. Sorry, but I don’t know the answer to your question regarding how the scallops are harvested.
quote:
Originally posted by wesza
"Singing Scallops" are generally served live, fresh from the tank. They are medium sized scallops, with the roe sack attached.
Two questions.
(1) Does that mean they are not cooked, or that they are alive when cooked?
(2) I thought "diver scallops" meant simply scallops that were harvested by actual divers rather than rakes or something. Was I mistaken?
Bushie: The "Singing Scallops", or "Divers Scallops", actually have a much more interesting shell. It’s an interesting pink color, and has a stirated wavy shell. I save them up for my granddaughters who save them for decorations and gifts as they feel that Abalone and Singing Scallop Shells are some of natures prettiest things. The Chinese use dry Scallops as a base for many special soups and especially rice gruel, congee or chouck. One very special Soup [also very expensive] is "Sharks Fin with Crab and Scallop Fat’. Fat in this soup means the Roe. Often the Scallops with Roe, served at Sushi Bars is the Nitrogen Flash Frozen Variety frozen immediately after being caught and shipped from Japan. On the west coast it is occasionally prepared from live "Singing Scallops. Irwin
I’ve had the scallops with roe a few times at a sushi bar (most of them still only carry the denuded ones). You’re right—-they are awesome. Maybe with enough demand we’ll start seeing more of them around au naturel.
quote:
Originally posted by wesza
… I’m curious how many readers are aware that the rest of the world, buys fresh scallops with the roe sacks attached and insist upon them that way. While in the USA, all we get to buy most are scallops, denuded and treated to appear unnaturaly white.
I was not aware of that, and that probably explains why I’ve never been thrilled with scallops. Check out the picture on this website:
http://www.pacseafood.com/products/scallops.html
Those are beautiful!! [:p] Is that what you’re referring to, wesza[?]
They serve Singing Scallops (Diver’s Scallops) at "Emperor’s Choice" Restaurant in Chicago’s Chinatown. They’re outstanding! My husband had them as an appetizer, although they charged us about $4 per scallop, I think. Expensive, but in his opinion, worth it.
"Singing Scallops", are indeed also often referred to as "Divers Scallops". They are gathered by Divers who put them into a woven sack, carried off their shoulders, in cold, Pacific Coast waters, including Alaska. They should have no odor, as they are generally served live, fresh from the tank. They are medium sized scallops, with the roe sack attached. In my experience the taste has always been sweet, mild, with a natural taste of salt, even when made into Cerviche. I’m curious how many readers are aware that the rest of the world, buys fresh scallops with the roe sacks attached and insist upon them that way. While in the USA, all we get to buy most are scallops, denuded and treated to appear unnaturaly white. Irwin
The only time I have had what was called singing scallops ws in the Seattle area and I had them steamed. They were in a pretty pink shell and I had them like clams. They had a stronger odor than any other scallop I have ever had. I was told that they were much rarer than normal scallops and were harvested in small amounts.
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN
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