Something fishy with Simon Rhodes from Lobsterpot Fishmongers, Wood Street Food Hall​

SCALLOPS inhabit all the oceans of the world, with the largest number of species living in the Indo-Pacific region.

Most species live in relatively shallow waters from the low tide line to 100 metres, while others prefer much deeper water.

Although some species only live in very narrow environments, most are opportunistic and can live under a wide variety of conditions. Scallops can be found living within, upon, or under rocks, coral, rubble, sea grass, kelp, sand or mud.

The majority of scallops are free-living and can swim with brief bursts of speed to escape predators (mostly starfish) by rapidly opening and closing their valves.

Indeed, everything about their characteristic shell shape – its symmetry, narrowness, smooth and/or grooved surface, small flexible hinge, powerful adductor muscle and continuous and uniformly curved edge – facilitates such activity. They often do this in spurts of several seconds before closing the shell entirely and sinking back to the bottom of their environment.

Scallops are able to move through the water column either forward/ventrally (termed swimming) by sucking water in through the space between their valves, an area called the gape, and ejecting it through small holes near the hinge line, called exhalant apertures, or backward/dorsally (termed jumping) by ejecting the water out the same way it came in (i.e., ventrally).

A jumping scallop will usually land on the sea floor between each contraction of its valves, whereas a swimming scallop will stay in the water column for most or all of its contractions and will travel a much greater distance (though seldom at a height of more than one metre off the sea bed and seldom for a distance of greater than five metres.

Both jumping and swimming movements are very energy-intensive and most scallops cannot perform more than four or five in a row before becoming completely exhausted and requiring several hours of rest.

Should a swimming scallop land on its left side, it is capable of flipping itself over to its right side via a similar shell-clapping movement called the righting reflex.

So-called singing scallops can make an audible, soft popping sound as they flap their shells underwater. Other scallops can extend their foot from between their valves, and by contracting the muscles in their foot, they can burrow into sand.

Scallops can be steamed, fried or grilled but should be cooked gently and only for a very short time or their delicate flavour and texture will be spoiled.

Steam them in wine with aromatics as you would mussels, or wrap them in prosciutto and grill or fry for a few minutes.

Scallops go well with Asian ingredients: try pan-frying them in oil with ginger and fresh coriander. They’re also a good complement to hearty flavours such as bacon, chorizo, black pudding or watercress. Take care not to over-cook them: serve as soon as they are firm and opaque.

You’ll need about four to five king scallops per person for a main meal or about a dozen queen scallops, which are smaller than the king scallops.

In France the favourite scallop dish is Coquilles St Jacques This amazing dish is served in most seaside French restaurants and is basically scallops broiled in a white sauce in their shells with gruyère cheese and topped with breadcrumbs and browned under a grill.