Zamburiña

Zamburiña (Aequipecten opercularis) is the queen scallop, a smaller, different species from the great scallop (Pecten maximus) that anchors premium French and Spanish conservas. Common throughout Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, it is the everyday scallop of Galician tinned fish, hand-packed in Galician sauce, brine, or olive oil with garlic and chili by dozens of small conserveras across the Rías Baixas. The flesh is more delicate and less sweet than the great scallop, and the lower cost has made it the standard scallop conserva across northern Spain, sometimes sold under the fancier name vieira even though the fish inside is zamburiña. Conservas de Cambados, Real Conservera Española, Los Peperetes, and FerroMar are among the many producers who tin it.

How to eat it: straight from the tin as a pintxo with bread, over rice, or with a little of its own sauce spooned over a boiled potato. Simple, letting the sauce do the work.