Kapešante (Capesante, Jakobove Kapice, Scallops)

Kapešante – Queen of seashells is a type of fan-shaped seashell widespread in the Adriatic sea, therefore, part of the Istrian cuisine.

There are plenty of good recipes, but the best way to experience the richness of the taste is to clean them from the sand leaving the white meat inside, add salt, pepper, and olive oil, and cook them in the oven or on the grill. The tender, soft, and sweet meat of Kapešante is served in the shell on a nice plate with slices of lemon. They can also be served raw, in a brudet or buzara (a type of sea soup). There are a few ways to prepare kapešante, but the best way is the simplest way.

Ingredients for Kapešante:

• scallops
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• optional lemon, Mediterranean spices

Preparation:

The first thing we want to do is to clean the shells. Take a thin knife, open the scallops, remove the black bag with sand, and wash the additional sand that can be seen with the naked eye and felt under the fingers. Arrange the washed kapešante on a baking sheet, and season it with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once seasoned, put them in a previously heated oven (200° C) for no more than 2 to 2 and half minutes. Otherwise, they would dry out. Serve the kapešante with a slice of lemon and olive oil on the side. That's all. The taste of the kapešante is so delicate and gorgeous that it would be a shame to add more ingredients to it.