Just when you think you "get" everything about the place you live, something happens to remind you that your basic expectations can be completely erroneous. Last week, I asked Marcello (the local fishmonger, he of the disappearing fish shop) if he could get hold of scallops for me. Certainly! I just had to call to remind him.
And that I did. My mouth was positively watering at the thought of the little packet of mini-pieces of heaven that awaited me, particularly since he declared them to be "spettacolari" when I spoke to him yesterday morning.
Michael set off to do the shopping, and came back laden with the week's worth of fish and meat. While he went off to finish the shopping pickup, I started sorting and putting away. I was feeling in the various packets (meat and fish are nearly universally wrapped in paper here) to discern which were to go in the freezer for later this week, and which to go in the fridge.
And then I felt it: a grinding, scraping, hard sort of noise accompanied my prodding. Oh, no. Please tell me these aren't the scallops?
They were. Enormous shells (bigger than my hand) laden with the plumpest, juiciest scallops I had ever seen, each accompanied by a huge blob of roe. The trouble is, I've never cooked scallops on the half shell! I only know how to deal with the little mini-marshmallow-type blobs of protein.
I called Marcello, hastening to tell him that they were GORGEOUS, but what in the world was I to do with them? I Googled. I sent up a prayer. The thing was, these were so stupendous that I didn't want to mess them up...I felt really responsible for them at this point.
Turns out, they were completely easy. A little butter, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, and throw them in the oven (having rinsed them thoroughly) and we had the most toothsome meal in rather a short amount of time.
Love,
Alexandra
P.S. I couldn't resist keeping some shells in which to serve condiments for future meals
And that I did. My mouth was positively watering at the thought of the little packet of mini-pieces of heaven that awaited me, particularly since he declared them to be "spettacolari" when I spoke to him yesterday morning.
Michael set off to do the shopping, and came back laden with the week's worth of fish and meat. While he went off to finish the shopping pickup, I started sorting and putting away. I was feeling in the various packets (meat and fish are nearly universally wrapped in paper here) to discern which were to go in the freezer for later this week, and which to go in the fridge.
And then I felt it: a grinding, scraping, hard sort of noise accompanied my prodding. Oh, no. Please tell me these aren't the scallops?
They were. Enormous shells (bigger than my hand) laden with the plumpest, juiciest scallops I had ever seen, each accompanied by a huge blob of roe. The trouble is, I've never cooked scallops on the half shell! I only know how to deal with the little mini-marshmallow-type blobs of protein. |
| Laid out on the cookie sheet |
 |
| Yum! |
I called Marcello, hastening to tell him that they were GORGEOUS, but what in the world was I to do with them? I Googled. I sent up a prayer. The thing was, these were so stupendous that I didn't want to mess them up...I felt really responsible for them at this point.
Turns out, they were completely easy. A little butter, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, and throw them in the oven (having rinsed them thoroughly) and we had the most toothsome meal in rather a short amount of time.
Love,
Alexandra
P.S. I couldn't resist keeping some shells in which to serve condiments for future meals
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