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Normandy Scallops (Saint-Jacques) - St. Agur and Bacon Soup Recipe - Restaurant L'Envie des Mets
NORMANDY SCALLOPS - SAINT-JACQUES
Scallops fished off the Normandy coast are recognised as the ultimate shell fish served in the very best restaurants throughout France. Not surprisingly the local fisherman who catch these prized shells nickname them 'L'or blanc de la mer' - the white gold of the sea.
In France, scallops are called 'Saint-Jacques' and you will see them for sale in markets and on many menus across France. The reason for the French name is that the scallop shell is synonymous with pilgrims and the Camino de Santiago. All pilgrim routes across Europe towards Santiago de Compostela are marked at regular intervals with a scallop shell aiding the pilgrims on their journey. Legend has it that the Disciple Saint James body was to be taken to Santiago for burial, on route the ship was ship wrecked in a storm and his body was later found washed ashore and covered in scallop shells.
Scallop quality guarantees are very important, especially as poor quality frozen scallops are being imported. To defend their businesses and the quality, Norman fishermen have obtained under EU law, an official recognition of their superior quality. So when buying scallops look for the 'Labels Rouge Certification' which is only issued to those scallops caught off the Normandy coast. In restaurants scallops should be fresh during the winter season, however if you see scallops on a menu in summer the likelihood is that these are frozen and may have been imported.
Scallops have been fished here for centuries thriving on the sea bed in the cool water of La Manche (English Channel) in the Baie de Seine which stretches from Cap d'Antifer (north of Le Havre) to the tip of Barfleur (north east corner of the Contentin Peninsula)
The Bay has been divided in to 5 fishing zones, all within 12 nautical miles from the coast of which one zone is closed and left fallow each year. The fishing of scallops is strictly controlled and can only be fished from the 1st October until the 15th May, leaving the summer months for reproduction and the shells to grow. The number of boats, their size and their dredging equipment are all regulated with boats only being able to fish on certain days, for a set time per day and within the set zones in the bay. Normandy scallop ports are Port-en-Bessin, Grandcamp Maisy, Granville, Dieppe, Courseulles-sur-Mer, Fécamp and Cherbourg. In October and November most of these ports have a festival celebrating the new scallop season, you can see the small boats arriving back in port, unloading and sending the shells to market. Of course the local restaurants have a variety of scallop recipes for you to try or buy scallops from the market stalls either in their shells or shucked for you.
70% of scallops sold in France come from Normandy. 2/3rds of Normandy's fishing comes from the Bay of Seine's 220 licensed fishing boats, called 'coquillards'. It takes 2 years for a scallop shell to reach its minimum fishing size of 11cm, those shells dredged and too small are returned to the water to continue growing.
Not to forget Normandy's neighbour Brittany, which produces about 6500 tonnes of scallops in the Saint-Brieuc Bay, Saint-Quay-Portrieux and Loguivy-de-la-Mer fishing areas. Restrictions and rules are very similar to those upheld by the Norman fishermen. Brittany scallops are protected by the IGP certification and interestingly the scallops from the Saint-Brieuc Bay take 6 months to a year longer to mature before they can be taken and scallops from this area do not have the bright orange coral in them that Normandy scallops can have.
SAINT AGUR AND BACON SOUP
When it's cold, wet and windy there is nothing better than a good hearty soup to warm you. I have made this soup for years, having first enjoyed it in my local pub in West Norfolk. The only difference as now living in France is I have substituted Stilton with Saint Agur blue cheese. The recipe is so simple and just double up ingredients to make an even larger pot.
1x Leek
1x White Onion
4x Large potatoes
3 litres Chicken stock
60g St. Agur cheese (any blue cheese or even left over Camembert etc.)
200g Smoked bacon lardons
10cl Cream 30% / Crème Fraîche
Chop leek and onion and fry in olive oil in a large pot until softened, add the smoked lardons and fry. Keep stirring and mixing leek, onion and bacon mix. Add the 3 litres of chicken stock and give a good stir. Season with black pepper (no salt as smoked bacon is salty)
Simmer until potatoes are nearly soft and add the cheese. With the potatoes soft and the cheese melted, remove from heat and leave to cool. Once cooled and safe to do so use a hand blender to blend until smooth and no potato cubes remain. Finally add the cream and blend in. Re-heat to serve.
RESTAURANT L'ENVIE DES METS - MORTAIN
Throughout this region there are a number of family owned restaurants offering good simple and inexpensive food at lunchtime.
Having visited the Wednesday market at St.Hilaire-du-Harcouet on a foggy and damp morning, we thought we would find somewhere for lunch. I recalled seeing this restaurant when driving through Mortain-Bocage which is only a few minutes north of St.Hilaire.
As with many 'Plats du Jour' restaurants it is only open Monday to Friday 12.00 to 14.30hrs. The restaurant is run by a husband and wife team employing young staff to serve the tables. We were made very welcome before being shown to our table. I would think that the staff only speak French and the menu is in French on a blackboard.
These type of restaurant I believe generally are catering for the working man and woman, who in France always stops for lunch at 12 noon. Seeing any restaurant with their work vans outside is a good indicator of good food at a reasonable price.
The restaurant has two set price menus starting at 16.50€ per person. A choice of 5 or 6 starters, main courses and desserts. Simple, but good starters like Assiette de charcuterie, wrap of jambon cru-tartare and eggs mayonnaise. Main courses of grilled steak, chicken, pork and fish etc. We both had the lamb chops in a herb sauce, as you don't often see lamb on a French menu. As standard all these dishes come with French fries and a salad garnish. Desserts are the standard French classics, Crème Brulée, Pain Perdu and Tarte Tartin etc.
All 3 courses were delicious, we could see into the kitchen and so knew everything was cooked to order and so no 'dingding' in a microwave. Often this type of restaurant also includes a pichet of wine or cider in the price, but here any drinks were extra. But at this price how can you complain.
Mortain was made infamous during the Battle Of Normandy, it was here that Hitler ordered his counter attack to push through the American lines to reach the coast at Avranches. American troops were caught resting on Hill 314 and were pounded whilst surrounded for days until General Patton halted the German advance. Perhaps to work up an appetite can suggest walking up the hill before lunch to see the War memorial and a little chapel from which there is an excellent view over the bocage towards Mont. St. Michel.
Restaurant L'Envie des Mets
64 Rue du Rocher
50140
Mortain- Bocage
Tel . No. 02 33 69 72 68
Monday to Friday 12.00 - 14.30 hours
