SCALLOP I SKALET UR ELDEN COOKED OVER BURNING JUNIPER BRANCHES

Yield: serves 6

Ingredients

Fresh juniper branches, for the fire

Some dry hay with a high herb content, or a piece of moss that covers the plate, to serve

6 perfectly fresh, very large and absolutely sand-free live scallops in their shells

good bread and butter, to serve

Directions

1.   Light your birch charcoal with a hot-air blower or an electric coil – never use lamp oil or any other chemical. Spray the hay or moss lightly with water.

2.   Put the juniper branches on top of the charcoal and when they start burning, cook the scallops directly over the fire. They are finished when you hear them making a crackling noise about the edges.

3.   Open each scallop up and pour all the contents into a preheated ceramic bowl. Separate out the scallop meat and put it back in the bottom shell. Strain off the beards and intestines quickly and pour the cloudy broth back into the shell with the scallop in it. Put the top half shell back on, place the whole scallop on the dampened hay or moss with some fresh juniper and hot coal for a few moments, then serve right away with good bread and mature butter. No more than 90 seconds must pass between taking the scallop off the fire and serving it.