Lamproie – Lamprey. The Lamprey on French Menus

from

Behind the French Menu

by

Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

A member of the Lamprey family.

Photograph courtesy of AANA, Agence de l’Alimentation Nouvelle Aquitaine

Lamproie de Rivière Européene, the River Lamprey and the Lamproie Marine or Lamproie de Mer - The Lamprey. The French name lamproie, like lamprey in English, covers all members of the lamprey family and there are quite a number of members.  However, in France, one of the two noted above will be on your menu. The lamprey is a strange and jawless fish, but not an eel.  Lampreys are a unique and separate family of freshwater and seawater fish.

Lamproie au Citron et au Lard

Lamprey with lemon and bacon

Photograph and recipe courtesy of Marie Claire Cuisine et Vins

Lamproie à la Bordelaise – Lamprey prepared in the manner of Bordeaux; this is the most famous of all French lamprey recipes, and its origins go back to the Middle Ages. The lamprey is cooked with leeks, ham, onions, a red Bordeaux wine, and some of the lamprey’s own blood. Lampreys were and are considered a delicacy, and depending on the area where this dish is served, Cognac or Armagnac will be added for flavor. This is a recipe that takes lots of preparation, and as so it is quite an expensive dish.

Lamproie à la Bordelaise

The lamprey used in this dish is the Lamproie de Rivière Européene also called the Lamproie Fluviatile, Lamprillon or Flûte.

Photograph courtesy of AANA, Agence de l’Alimentation Nouvelle Aquitaine

Lamproie à la Nantaise  - Lamprey in the manner of the city of Nantes. River Lamprey with red wine, button mushrooms and prunes. Nantes is the prefecture, the capital, of the department of Loire-Atlantique and the region of the Pays de Loire. It is built on both banks of the River Loire and while it is a large city it is regularly voted the best city in France to live and work in.

Lamproie à la Nantaise

Photograph and recipe courtesy of Cuisine Actuelle.

Lamproie au Vin Blanc – Lamprey and the Vouvray white wine made with Chenin Blanc grapes that grow along the banks of the Loire River.  In this dish will be Armagnac, Bayonne ham, Lardons, and a touch of the Piment d’Espelette pepper.

Lamproie au Vin Blanc

Lamprey with white wine

Photograph and recipe courtesy of Femme Actuelle 

The European river lampreys are mostly caught when they reach 35 cm (14“)  long.  They are found along the Atlantic coasts of Europe, including the UK and Ireland, as well as the French and Italian Mediterranean coasts. The sea lamprey is larger, reaching 60cm (28“) or more. Sea Lampreys are caught when they return to the rivers to spawn.

The European River Lamprey

Photograph courtesy of the Guardian and Handout

The Lamprey Fete in Saint-Terre.

There is an annual Fête de la Lamproie,  a lamprey festival

 held in the village of  Sainte-Terre close to the Dordogne River. The Fete is usually held on the third weekend in April and organized by the Confrérie de la Lamproie, Saint-Terre, the Brother and Sisterhood of the Lamprey in Sainte-Terre.   During the fete, there are cookery workshops, a flea market, funfair, and sports, with a dinner dance on Saturday evening and Sunday noon.

Confrérie de la Lamproie, Saint-Terre,

Members of the Brotherhood of the Lamprey in Sainte-Terre.

Photograph courtesy of the Sudouest

Sainte-Terre is close to the city of Libourne, the commercial hub of Bordeaux’s Right Bank wine region.  The Libournais wine region includes the appellations of Pomerol and Saint Émilion.

Lamprey traditions in the UK

According to an article in The Guardian, it was traditional for Gloucester to send a Christmas lamprey pie to the British monarch until 1836 when the practice was discontinued, except for coronations and jubilees. In 2012 a pie was sent to Queen Elizabeth II to mark her Diamond Jubilee, but the numbers of UK lampreys were so low that they had to be imported from the Great Lakes of North America. Now, it seems the river pollution in the UK has decreased, and the river lamprey is returning in large numbers.

Eating too many lampreys can be bad for your digestion. King Henry I of England, (c. 1068 – 1135), the fourth son of William the Conqueror. Henry died in Normandy, according to legend, from a surfeit of lampreys. 

The lamprey in the languages of France’s neighbors:

The European River Lamprey  -  Lamproie de Tivière Européene or Lamproie Fluviatile:

(Catalan - llampresa de riu), (Dutch - amproye),(German – lamprete, lamprida), (Italian - lampreda di fiume), (Spanish  - lamprea de río), (Latin - lampetra fluviatilis).

 

The Sea Lamprey or Great Sea Lamprey - La Lamproie Marine or Lamproie de Mer:

(Catalan –llampresa de mar), (Dutch -Zeeprik), (German - grosse lamprete, seelamprete), (Italian - lampreda di mare), (Spanish   -   lamprea de mar), (Latiin - petromyzon marinus).

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Behind the French Menu

by

Bryan G. Newman 

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com 

Copyright 2010, 2016, 2023, 2024

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