Don't Waste Seafood Roe: Turn It To a Luxury Butter – Method
Beyond its breathtaking beaches and wild coastline, Jersey features a extraordinary food culture, firmly grounded in both soil and ocean. From internationally renowned Jersey Royal new potatoes to scallops sweeter and softer than those found elsewhere, the island's harvest is unmatched. What excites many above all, however, is the way island farmers and producers are embracing sustainable farming, while in doing so reimagining the island's food future with innovation and dedication.
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to lead a discussion at a gathering, and cook a welcoming meal for all participants, alongside an inspiring founder. Naturally, scallops had to be on the spread, since they represent the island at their finest: subtle, juicy and singing of the ocean.
Scallops appear as the perfect symbol of Jersey's culinary evolution: succulent, full and regenerative by nature, purifying and cleaning the sea while contributing to create shoreline habitats. Both cultivated and, importantly, diver-caught, they are among the eco-friendliest proteins to eat. Yet many, who were raised on the island, don't eat the roes – a common habit, I fear. Even more justification to champion these coral-pink tidbits, which are much too tasty to discard. Whipped into butter, they become sheer luxury: melt over the shellfish, mix into risotto or just spread on warm slices.
They can be a bit expensive, however, so I've created this method to turn a single shellfish into an impressive appetizer (or a few into a satiating entree) and, by blending their roe into smoky paprika butter and roasting them in the half-shells with cherry tomatoes and crushed garlic, unused parts turns into a luxury.
That same ethos of reinvention is central to the movement, that introduced an award providing support to innovators with backing, guidance and entry to a retail platform. Evaluated by a panel of respected culinary heroes, the award is to be presented at an upcoming event. This is about backing concepts that will help our agricultural networks thrive, across the board, and there's no better a more exciting location for that conversation to begin than Jersey.
Shellfish Baked in Roe Butter with Small Tomatoes and Garlic
Serves six as a starter or two as a main
6 with eggs shellfish in the shell
Eighteen cherry tomatoes, cut in half
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 whole red chillies (eg jalapeño), halved lengthwise, or one pinch chilli flakes, or to preference (optional)
50g unsalted butter
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper, to liking
Lemon wedges, to serve
Some sea asparagus, agretti or six tiny pickle slices, to garnish (optional)
Clean the scallops, removing the eggs from every and leaving the remaining part of the scallop fixed to the shell (ask the fishmonger to do this for you, if necessary). Place 6 halved tomatoes in each shell with a clove's worth of crushed garlic cloves and half a red chilli, if using.
Put the eggs in a container of an immersion blender (many prefer this is the best method for mixing small amounts), include the spread and paprika, and blend until creamy. Distribute the mixture among the half-shells, making sure each shellfish is well covered in the butter.
Heat the grill until it is scorching hot, then place the shellfish beneath the flame for six to eight minutes, until charred and bubbling. Serve immediately, garnished with optional sea vegetables, agretti, a slice of pickle and/or a splash of the pickle juice or a bit of lemon juice.