A name in Lille and Tournai for cougnou, a traditional Christmas yeast cake with raisins from Flanders, also available on St Martin’s day. Traditionally it is made in the shape of the baby Jesus. It is known by a variety of names throughout France and Belgium and decorated in different ways.
"Shell." Shell (of egg, nut, mollusc etc). Scallop shell, or shell-shaped dish, usually including sauce crème topped with grated cheese and baked au gratin.
Hen of the woods or maitake mushroom. A frilled fungus with many caps that grows on trees and which is edible when it is very young.
Pilgrim or great scallops. These are shellfish with white meats and pink corals, often cooked in their shells with the corals and have sweet, succulent meat if properly cooked. According to legend, the body of St James (St-Jacques) travelled with a boat with neither oars nor sails around the Iberian coast, coming to rest in Compostela. Many miracles were associated with this journey, including one where the horse of a pagan nobleman leaped into the sea. They emerged carrying the body of St James covered in scallop shells. This resulted in the nobleman converting to Christianity. Pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela have traditionally worn scallop shell badges in commemoration of St James, or used scallop shells as begging bowls. The whole pilgrim route is decorated with his emblem. In some parts of Europe they are eaten on the feast day of St James on 25 July to commemorate the arrival of pilgrims or peregrinos at Santiago de Compostela, often with tomatoes and garlic. They are more often simply and lightly fried.
"Scallops in the style of Brittany." Scallops brushed with butter, sprinkled with breadcrumbs and baked.
"Scallops in the style of Nantes." Scallops poached in white wine, returned to the shell, mushrooms and mussels or oysters added, coated with wine sauce and baked au gratin.
"Scallops in the style of Paris." Scallops stewed in white wine with mushroom essence and placed in a scallop shell. They are then coated with a white wine sauce and garnished with mushrooms and truffles, bordered with duchesse potatoes and browned in the oven.
"Scallop in the style of Provence." Scallops braised in white wine with garlic, served in a scallop shell.
