{"id":3768,"date":"2020-09-12T16:05:19","date_gmt":"2020-09-12T14:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/driessenfood.nl\/nl\/nieuwsartikel\/coquille-rockefeller\/"},"modified":"2025-04-03T10:44:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T08:44:01","slug":"coquille-rockefeller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/driessenfood.nl\/en\/nieuwsartikel\/coquille-rockefeller\/","title":{"rendered":"Rockefeller Scallops"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gr\u00e9gory Nicole from Brasserie Le Nord in Bilthoven presents an ode to the scallop he serves as \u2018Coquille Rockefeller\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Scallop: the mantle shell, Saint-Jacques shell or, in French, coquille Saint-Jacques.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is a mollusk that lives flat on the seabed and feeds on plankton and other floating food particles. It is mainly found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n

Choice in scallops<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our assortment of scallops is varied and partly depends on the method of fishing. With the (French) trawl-net method, scallops are dragged from the seabed with large nets. As a result, they can become slightly damaged and contain some sand. In, among others, Norway, scallops are also collected by hand. This is more labor-intensive and expensive, but yields undamaged shells and has a much lower negative impact on the seabed. The supply of these hand-collected scallops \u2013 which are delivered live \u2013 depends on the weather.<\/p>\n

In addition to these wild scallops in the shell, you also have a choice of farmed scallops in a jar from Japan or the USA and Canadian scallops in cans. The latter are somewhat larger and firmer than those in a jar and lose less moisture during cooking.<\/p>\n

Scallop in the kitchen<\/strong><\/p>\n

The white, juicy meat contained in the shell is what we call the \u201cnut.\u201d Alongside it is the orange roe, or coral. Although we consider the nut the ultimate delicacy, the roe \u2013 for example, when saut\u00e9ed \u2013 is also very tasty. It can impart its color to (fish) sauces and, when dried and ground to a powder, forms a beautiful orange decoration.<\/p>\n

The white nut is versatile: it can be baked, roasted, grilled, and poached. Even when served raw in thin slices, the nut shines. Flavor companions for scallops are products with earthy flavors such as cauliflower, celeriac, (belly) bacon, and truffles.<\/p>\n

Gr\u00e9gory Nicole, Brasserie Le Nord in Bilthoven<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nAfter arriving in the Netherlands, Frenchman Gr\u00e9gory Nicole (42 years old) worked, among other places, as sous-chef at Au Coin des Bon Enfants in Maastricht and Le Garage in Amsterdam. The French Caf\u00e9 in Amsterdam was his first restaurant of his own, and since 2015 he has been the owner of Brasserie Le Nord in Bilthoven, which he runs together with his wife Lieke and which has been recognized with a Bib Gourmand by Michelin. The menu features French classics such as bouillabaisse, steak tartare, and confit de canard, executed with a modern and somewhat lighter twist.<\/p>\n

Scallops almost always on the menu<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gr\u00e9gory loves working with scallops; they are almost always on the menu. Gr\u00e9gory: \u201cSometimes they are part of the bouillabaisse, or I slice them raw into thin pieces and serve them with a cucumber sorbet. When saut\u00e9ed, I, for example, combine them with cured pork, oyster leaf, caviar, and brioche.\u201d<\/p>\n

Short lines<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the start of Le Nord, Driessen has supplied a large part of the fresh products. Gr\u00e9gory: \u201cIn addition to a good price and quality, Driessen\u2019s service is excellent. I order late in the evening and by early morning everything is already in the kitchen. The care with which the products are handled is top-notch, for example, the vegetables are well packaged. I also order regional products; it is very convenient that I can obtain many regional products through one supplier. They are easily reachable and the lines are short \u2013 I find such a collaboration very important. The VersAcademie is professionally interesting, and a company visit to Driessen is always inspiring because I get new ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coquilles Rockefeller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gr\u00e9gory has created his variant of \u201cOysters Rockefeller\u201d for us, using scallops instead of oysters. He replaces the b\u00e9chamel sauce with a hollandaise sauce to make the dish lighter. For this dish \u2013 and all his other scallop dishes \u2013 Gr\u00e9gory uses hand-collected Norwegian scallops.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Coquilles Rockefeller with spinach, cured pork, Parmesan cheese, and hollandaise sauce<\/strong><\/p>\n