These are a species of shell-fish but seldom exhibited for sale in London; they are more plentiful at Brighton, where they are much esteemed as a great relish, when properly cooked and well seasoned; indeed this last qualification is of great importance, inasmuch as collops being of difficult digestion, it is essential that in order to render them comparatively harmless to persons of somewhat delicate digestive organs, they should be thoroughly cooked, and plentifully seasoned with cayenne pepper.
First, it is necessary, as soon as the collops are removed without tearing them from the shells, that they should be soaked in water with a little salt, frequently handling them, and changing the water, in order to free them from the sand and grit which, if allowed to remain after all the trouble of cooking, render them uneatable.
And thus the collops having been thoroughly cleansed, let them be parboiled for five minutes in their own liquor, and when drained, set aside on a plate.
Next, put the liquor from the collops into a small stewpan with a piece of butter, a spoonful of flour, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, a little anchovy, lemon-juice, and cream; stir this sauce over the fire to boil for ten minutes, and place the collops each back in its respective deep shell; cover them individually with a good spoonful of the sauce; finish with a thick layer of fried bread-crumbs; make them thoroughly hot in the oven, and dress them on a folded napkin.