How to make
Start by cleaning the mussels, if they are fresh. Put them in cold water with a spoonful of sea salt dissolved in it. Leave them for 2 hours to dispose of all the sand they contain.
Strain and wash them again and open them with a sharp-edged knife and remove their top shell.
Do not throw away the shells of the Saint-Jacques coquilles, because they are very convenient and beautiful when used as plates for various fish appetizers.
If they are frozen, then they are already cleaned and attached only to the lower shell.
They are also sold in packages where their shells are removed completely and in the worst case use one if you cannot find ones with a shell, but the dish will not be as attractive.
Prepare the sauce by chopping the onions and garlic and fry them in olive oil for 5 minutes on low to medium heat.
Add the tomatoes, paprika, black pepper and the crushed cayenne pepper. Instead of plain paprika, add a spicy one, if you are a fan of spicy food.
Crush the broth cube and cook for 5 minutes on the same heat, then pour the wine. I use semi-dry or even sweet wine to contrast the flavors.
Increase the heat by one degree and cook for 1 minute, while stirring constantly, so that the alcohol can evaporate.
If you want the sauce to be thinner, you can add a little water to dilute it.
It's time to cook the coquilles.
Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil and sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt. The heat should be strong, but not maximum.
Using a sharp knife, remove the mussels from their shells, to which they are attached to. Do it carefully at the base without hurting it.
Cook the edible part on each side for a minute.
Arrange the lower shells on a serving platter. Put a spoonful of sauce in each one and place the baked edile part back into their shells.
Drizzle them with more of the sauce (optionally you can liquidize it or blend it in a blender to make it even finer).
Serve and consume the Saint-Jacques Coquilles warm and with good white wine or champagne.
Apart from being delicious and beautiful in appearance, this seafood is also incredibly healthy, so do not hesitate to cook them to treat yourself or welcome dear guests with them.
Enjoy your meal!
