St. James

St. James, along with his younger brother John were given the names "Sons of Thunder" by Christ because of their zealous behaviour.  Believed to be cousins of Jesus, because  it is thought that their  Mother Salome was one of the Blessed Virgin Mary's sisters.

 St. James was a fisherman as was his brother John.They worked for their father Zebedee, alongside  St. Andrew and St. Peter. They all fished together on the Sea of Galilee. When Jesus passed by one day, he called  to them to come and be "fishers of men". Without hesitation they all left their day jobs and went after this itinerant preacher.
They lived with Jesus for three years. They shared in his daily life and were witnesses to his prayer life, his miracles, his attitude towards sinners and those who suffer.  They also witnessed his power and the miracles He performed.

When asked if he could follow the path of suffering Jesus was to take, James bravely said he could. His mother had hoped for glory and honour for her sons. But instead the Lord spoke of service and slavery, counting yourself as the least among the people.
James did not have to wait that long to prove his bravery, his martyrdom came only fourteen years after Jesus' crucifixion. When Herod Agrippa wanting to please the Jews beheaded James.

It is thought  that the relics of St James were brought to Spain some time after his martyrdom. His shrine at Compostela in Galicia grew in importance until it became the greatest pilgrimage centre in western Europe. 

Every country has churches dedicated to St James and many have well known, well-trodden pilgrim routes. In Paris, the Tour St Jacques marks the start of the route that finally ends at Compostela. In England, pilgrim routes lead from all parts of the country to the major ports that were used on the pilgrimage. This network of routes is a vital witness to the fact that the Middle Ages were not the static stay-at-home time that we often think them to be. 

I love to think that many people would have set out on this arduous journey. Setting forth to walk the miles and miles that would lead them on to Spain and the beautiful Cathedral of St. James. Did he ever imagine that his legacy of being a follower of Christ would continue to impact the people of the twenty first Century who today still make that journey. Their reasons may be many and varied but none can fail to be touched as they arrive at that majestic Cathedral. So many return home clasping their scallop-shell, the emblem of St James, which has now become the emblem of pilgrims who tread the path to Compostela.

Because St. James is represented by the scallop shell it would be fun to cook up a fishy supper using the shells. The most famous is of course, "Coquilles Saint Jaques"

• 
  
• Serves 4
• 
  
• 500 g scallops
• 500 g prawns
• 12 oz (375 g ) mushrooms, sliced¸
• 1 cup white wine or chicken stock
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp. butter
• 6 tbsp. Plain flour
• 1 cup of cream
• ⅓ cup gruyere cheese, grated
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs 
• 
  
• 1. In a large pan, combine scallops, shrimps, mushrooms, wine, onion, parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt

  2.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes
  3.  Transfer to a strainer set over a pot to reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid
  4. In the pan, melt ¼ cup of butter and add flour, mix well.
  5. Pour in the reserved liquid and the cream in one shot and cook, whisking for about 3 minutes or until boiling and thick.
  6. Remove from the heat and add cheese, stirring until melted, add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Add seafood mixture and mix well.
  8.  Transfer in 4 shells.
  9.Melt 1tbs. of butter and then add the breadcrumbs, mix well.
  10.Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top of the  shells.
  11.Place under a hot grill for about 2-3 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
  12. Serve with a lovely salad or fresh vegetables. 
  13. Enjoy!