Shellfish

In this article

Scallops Crab Dublin Bay prawns

Prawns Squid Oysters

Lobster Mussels Other shellfish

Scallops are highly regarded and expensive. The shells are rounded and fan-shaped, varying in size from the smaller queen scallops 7cm (3in) across to larger ones of about 18cm (8in) across. The edible part is the round white muscle and the orange and white roe (called coral). The frilly gills and mantle should be used for soup and stocks. Open scallops by putting into a hot oven or by separating the shells with a knife. Eat as soon as possible after buying. Steam, shallow-fry in butter, garlic and parsley or grill with bacon. Cook gently to preserve the rich delicate flavour. Small ones should only need a few seconds. Larger ones may need a minute or so.

Cockles

Cockles are rarely sold fresh. Usually you'll find them preserved in vinegar or brine - they're good as piquant appetisers. The chewy, juicy and salty whelks resemble pointed snails when fresh, and are usually sold ready-cooked - they're good in seafood platters. The delicious black sea snails known as winkles are good for appetisers. Usually sold cooked, they're good seasoned with tarragon or parsley and white wine. Clams are used in Italian cookery (vongole), and along the eastern coast of America clams they're used frequently in soups and chowders. Razor-shell clams are shaped like cut-throat razors - excellent when steamed.

Each region of the world has its favourite local crab: in Europe, it's the Brown crab and the Spider crab; along the Eastern seaboard of the US, it's the Blue crab; and along the Pacific coast of the US, it's the delicious Dungeness crab. The soft brown flesh from under the hard upper shell is rich, and contrasts well with the sweet, dense white flesh found in the claws and body. Males often have larger claws and more white flesh. However, females may have 'coral' - a sumptuous red roe. Buy crabs that feel heavy for their size and smell fresh and sweet whether alive or cooked. If there's a hint of ammonia don't buy. Crabs are best bought alive and cooked at home. You'll need about 115g/4oz of meat per person - this is about 450g/1lb for a crab with shell intact. Eat cold cooked meat with brown bread, butter and mayonnaise. Steam to make a bisque (shellfish soup), or grill or deep-fry newly moulted crabs to eat à la meunière.

The body:

1. Loosen the meat from the shell by hitting the back underside of the shell.
2. With the shell towards you, stand the crab up and force the body away from the shell using your thumbs.
3. Twist the tail off. Discard.
4. Twist off the legs and crack open to access the meat.
5. Pull away the gills that lie close together along the body.
6. Use a sharp knife to split open the body down the centre. Remove the meat.

The shell:

Scrape out the edible brown curd from the shell. Use for sauces.

Brown crab from Europe is available all year, and reaches 20 to 25cm (8 to 10in) across with heavy front claws with almost-black pincers. Its shell is rusty-red or brown. The hairy legs are red but mottled with white. A 450g (lb) crab feeds one person.

The Atlantic blue crab grows to 20cm (8in) but is usually sold smaller. It has a blue-brown shell. When newly moulted the crabs are caught with soft shells and deep-fried for eating whole.

Reaching 20cm (8in) at maximum size, this crab has plenty of delicious white, dense sweet meat. The meat in the shell is also fine, notably different for its pale grey colour. Very popular in California.

Popular in France and Spain, a sweet-flavoured crab that resembles a large spider. It has no large claws. One crab should be sufficient per person.

Also known as langoustines, Norway lobster and scampi, these orange-pink shellfish from the north-east Atlantic and Mediterranean resemble small, slim lobsters. They're an expensive choice with little meat, but are delicious if freshly caught and cooked. The best specimens can be bought from late spring to late autumn and are cooked in the same way as lobster. Because of their smaller size, they need less cooking. Usually only the tail is sold. In their shells 900g (2lb) should be enough for four people - out of their shells, half this will be enough. They should be available frozen all year. If raw then boil in well-salted water for a maximum of ten minutes. Then eat with melted butter. However, fresh langoustines may be pre-boiled. Reheat gently, don't re-cook or they'll toughen. Also, overcooking ruins their texture and flavour. Alternatively eat them cold in a salad with mayonnaise or vinegar dressing. They're good grilled with oil and garlic, and deep fried in batter.

There are a host of prawn species and they vary in size from five to 18 cm long (2 to 7in). King prawns grow even larger - up to 23cm (9in).They also come in many colours, from the familiar common pink prawns to the browny-blue tiger prawns. Prawns are available all year round, though usually frozen in the UK. Fresh raw prawns are the tastiest. They should be firm and springy with bright shells. If they're limp, soft or have an ammonia smell then don't buy. Ensure frozen prawns are properly defrosted before heating. Cook raw prawns by dropping them into boiling salted water for a couple of minutes. It's important not to overcook them, but equally they should be cooked through. Pre-boiled prawns should be reheated gently to prevent toughening the meat. Larger prawns are good grilled, deep-fried or barbecued. Common pink prawns are best eaten cold with lemon juice and some brown bread and butter, or with mayonnaise as part of a salad. In the US, prawns are invariably known as shrimp.

Squid (or calamari) vary in size from small 5 to 7cm (2 to 3in) to larger ones of about 25cm (10in). Squid is available most of the year fresh or frozen. Few shellfish fare so well when frozen and preparing squid is relatively easy. You can save the silvery ink sac from the innards to colour the dish later. Cooking must be either very quick or very long otherwise the flesh will be tough. Cooked properly the flesh becomes sweet and tender. To cook, simply grill rapidly or slice into rings, batter and deep fry. Larger squid can be used in stews with tomatoes, red wine and olive oil. Squid can also be used as part of a paella.

1. Rinse.
2. Pull the head away from the body. The innards should come away with it.
3. Cut the edible tentacles from the head.
4. Squeeze out the beak and discard.
5. Remove the transparent 'pen' or backbone from the body by pulling it out.
6. Clean any excess membranes from the body pocket.
7. Rinse the body pocket under cold running water and peel away the outer skin.
8. Cut the body pocket into rings. The fins are edible too if skinned.

There are a variety of oyster species around the globe and therefore they come in a number of shapes and sizes. The best British oysters known are called 'native' or 'flat'. Other British oysters include rock oysters. Natives are available from September to April, though best from late October to late February when the sea is colder. Pacific oysters are available all year. Scrub the shells well before opening. To open the shell - called shucking - use an oyster knife. Any that have an unusual smell should be discarded. Native oysters are best eaten raw as soon as possible after capture. Raw oysters are good with lemon and cayenne pepper. Cooked rock oysters are good for chowder or stews. They're also tasty cooked in a white wine sauce. Alternatively grill with shallots and butter.

It's important to use an oyster knife since a normal kitchen knife could be hazardous and break.

1. Grip oyster firmly with a cloth.
2. Insert an oyster knife into the hinged edge and twist to open.
3. Hold the shell firm while you run the knife along the inside of the top shell. This cuts a muscle attached to it.
4. Lift off the top shell, being careful not to spill anything.
5. Slide the knife under the oyster on the bottom shell to cut the second muscle.

Relatives of the crab, the more expensive lobsters are considered the superior cousin. When alive, their shells are mottled with green, blue and brick red colours but turn to their distinctive bright red on cooking. They can grow to 4.5kg (10lb), but are best eaten at about 500g (1lb) to 1.4kg (3lb). Smaller lobsters are more tender. Cold water lobsters from more northern seas are considered the finest: males have denser, meatier flesh, but females have a more subtle flavour and an orange 'coral' roe, which can be used to colour sauces. Most of the lobster is edible, except the transparent bag-like stomach and the dark intestines. Remove with a sharp knife point. Don't remove the creamy green-grey liver, known as the 'tomalley', which has an excellent flavour. Buy lobsters that feel heavy for their size, with both claws intact, and preferably buy them alive and cook them yourself. A 1.4kg (3lb) lobster should be enough for two people. Crack the claws with a hammer to get at the meat. Best cooked simply: boiled, steamed, grilled and served hot or cold. Serve with melted butter, lemon juice or mayonnaise. The shells can be used for fish soup and the base for a bisque or lobster sauce.

The reason for cooking lobsters live is because once killed, their flesh starts to deteriorate very quickly. Fishmongers and wholesalers will only buy live lobsters to sell, and in turn, chefs and cooks, when cooking fresh lobster, will always choose live specimens for freshness. Lobsters sold in supermarkets in this country are generally sold already cooked as the demand for live lobsters isn't as great as it is abroad.

Many people are appalled that lobsters and other shellfish aren't killed before cooking but the reality is that cooking lobsters live is standard practice. Even though there are pressure groups lobbying the government to legislate on the killing of shellfish, there's nothing required by law in Britain to change cooking methods.

Methods of cooking lobster:

1. Placing a live lobster head first into a pan boiling water is the standard way of cooking - the lobster dies the instant it hits the water.
2. Another method is to freeze the live lobster and then cook it in boiling water.
3. You could also pierce the live lobster in one sharp blow between the eyes which kills it instantly, and then boil it in the usual way.

These molluscs are familiar as the small blue-black shells attached to rocks and piers. The distinctive orange coloured meat inside is sweet and salty. They're available worldwide. Mussels should only be collected from unpolluted waters between September and March - they should be left alone in summer. Buy smaller or medium-sized mussels, and buy more than you need since you will throw some away. For one person, 450g (1lb) should be enough. Throw away any damaged mussels or any that remain open after cleaning - they could be toxic.

Remove grit by washing thoroughly in fresh water several times. Clean the shells by scraping with the back of a knife and rinsing. Remove any stringy beards - pull them out and cut them off. Then rinse again. Remove any mussels that float to the top of a bowl of water. Cook by steaming in a pan with a lid. Throw away those that don't open. Eat as they are or bake with a stuffing. The flesh can also be removed and added to salads, soups and sauces. They're also good grilled in breadcrumbs, butter, garlic and parsley. The French are keen on raw mussels with lemon juice. A classic mussel dish is Moules à la Bordelaise.

There are a number of other shellfish including crustaceans like crawfish and crayfish, cephalopods such as octopus and cuttlefish, and a host of molluscs: abalone, cockles, razor-shell clams, sea-urchins, whelks and winkles.