SHELLFISH

The shellfish family is made up of crustaceans segmented bodies, and jointed limbs. Most
and mollusks. Crustaceans, such as lobsters, mollusks have one or two hard shells, except
shrimp, and crabs, have an exterior skeleton, for octopus and squid, which don’t have a shell.

shucking oysters
To open (shuck) oysters, use a thick towel or napkin or wear a special
wire mesh glove to protect your hand from the sharp edges of the shell.
If you intend to serve oysters raw, scrub them well before shucking.

fresh oyster Insert an oyster knife into

the crevice at the point of the shells. Push
gently to sever the muscle hinging the
shells together; pushing the knife too deep
will damage the oyster. Twist the knife, to
pry the shells apart, then separate them
carefully with your fingers, keeping the
bottom shell level, so the liquor does not
spill. With a teaspoon, scrape the oyster
off the flat shell and transfer it to the
rounded shell. The liquor should be clear
and briny; if it is cloudy, you have pierced
the oyster. Discard the tough sinew. Serve
the oysters on ice.

quick tip
When buying oysters and
clams, check that the
shells are tightly closed.
Discard any with broken
shells, as well as oysters
that smell “fishy” on
opening. After boiling or
steaming mollusks such as
clams and mussels, discard
any that are still closed.

122 FISH & SHELLFISH