Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

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Cooking Shellfish

Since overcooking toughens the meat, shellfish should not be
overcooked. Mollusks, including oysters and clams, are done when the
shells open or the meat begins to curl on the edges. Crustaceans,
including lobster and shrimp, are done when they turn red or bright
pink.

Like finfish, the shellfish can be cooked in a variety of manners. In
addition some may be eaten raw.

Oysters, clams, and scallops may be eaten raw. They are truly
gourmet fare since the flavor is delicate and the meat tender. You
can remove the meat of shellfish by slipping a knife between the
shells and prying them open. To serve, place half of the shell and
muscles on cracked ice. This keeps the raw meat cold and is
attractive and appetizing as well.

The boiling or steaming methods vary from mollusks to crustaceans.
Both should be alive when placed in boiling water. Lobsters and crabs
should be boiled in salted water for about twenty minutes. Clams,
oysters and scallops should be placed on a rack in a deep pot or
kettle so the water does not touch them. After five minutes the
shells should open which indicates they are done. Discard any shells
that do not open, for this indicates the shellfish was dead prior to
cooking. You may serve the shellfish in the shell or you may remove
the meat prior to cooking.

Broiling -- Shucked mollusks, lobster tails, crab legs, shelled
shrimp, and whole shellfish are often broiled. Due to the direct heat
the meat is quickly cooked and as such is moist. Broiling may not be
limited to the kitchen. Grills, hibachis, and rotisseries employ the
same cooking techniques. Whole shellfish must be killed prior to
broiling. Plunge the shellfish into boiling water or sever the spinal
cord. Then split the shellfish and remove the inedible organs. Baste
with melted butter during broiling. The shellfish may be seasoned
with salt and pepper.

Baking -- Raw shellfish and cooked shellfish are used in baking. Raw
shellfish bakes in the same fashion as it broils. Shellfish such as
oysters, clams, and scallops which are eaten raw may be included in a
baking dish without previous preparation. Cooked meat is often
combined with other ingredients and baked in a casserole or as an
appetizer.

Frying -- Most shellfish except lobster may be fried. Deep- fat frying
takes from two to five minutes and panfrying takes five to ten
minutes. Shuck or remove any portions of shell and inedible parts.
Use an egg batter to dip whole shellfish or chunks of meat. Then
bread with a mixture of crumbs and flour or a packaged mix.

: About the Author

Adam Starchild has combined business travel with discovering the
delights of native dishes from Hawaii and Hong Kong to Russia and the
Caribbean. He is the author of The Seafood Heritage Cookbook (Cornell
Maritime Press), co-author of another seafood cookbook, and the
author of a number of food and cooking articles.
Submitted By BARRY WEINSTEIN On 08-30-95

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