When you get scallops at the fishmonger, keep the roe, because it can be turned into a luxury ingredient
B
eyond Jersey’s epic beaches and rugged coastline, the island has an extraordinary food culture, rooted in both land and sea. From world-renowned jersey royal new potatoes to scallops sweeter and more tender than I’ve tasted anywhere, Jersey’s bounty is second to none. What excites me most, though, is how local farmers and producers are embracing regenerative agriculture, and in doing so reimagining the island’s food future with creativity and care. At the heart of that movement is Regen Gathering, a visionary festival that brings together farmers, chefs and food lovers to explore what Jersey’s foodtopia could look like.
Last month, I was lucky enough to host a talk at the event, and cook a welcome dinner for all the speakers, alongside Regen’s inspiring founder, India Hamilton. Of course, scallops had to be on my menu, because they’re Jersey at its finest: delicate, plump and singing of the sea.
Scallops seem to me the ultimate symbol of Jersey’s food future: sweet, plump and regenerative by nature, filtering and cleaning the sea while helping to build coastal habitats. Both farmed and, importantly, diver-caught, they’re one of the most sustainable proteins we can eat. Yet even Hamilton, who was raised on the island from the age of five, doesn’t eat the roes – a common affliction, I fear. All the more reason to champion these coral-pink morsels, which are far too delicious to discard. Whipped into butter, they become pure luxury: melt over scallops, stirr into risotto or simply spread on warm bread.
