Crab is often sold ready-cooked but live crabs are also available. Both the white flesh found in the legs and claws and the brown meat from the body are delicious. A little goes a long way to add a special succulence and flavour to seafood salads. Crabmeat can he used to flavour sauces and stuffings for fish. Dressed crab is also sold the fishmonger will have removed the crabmeat and replaced it attractively in the shell.
Crawfish: Similar in appearance to lobster, crawfish are easily distinguished because they
have no claws. ‘Ile flesh has a good flavour, some say better than lobster, and there’s more of it. It should be prepared and served in the same way as lobster.
Lobster: Renowned for its rich juicy meat, lobster is a real luxury. Because it is not fished in great numbers it remains a very expensive shellfish. Choose a lobster that feels heavy for its size the tail should be resilient and spring back when straightened and released. Lobsters are usually sold cooked and can he cut in half lengthways (follow the natural line down head and centre back). Serve cold with home-made mayonnaise. Live lobsters are best when simply boiled in salted water allow about 15 minutes per 11b (450g). Serve hot with melted butter and lemon wedges to squeeze over the meat.
Mussels: Buy mussels that are tightly closed, wet and fresh looking. Nowadays mussels that are sold arc mostly farmed but you should still wash them in several changes of cold water to remove any grit, otherwise they will he very unpleasant to eat. The simplest way to cook mussels is to pop them all in a saucepan, cover with a lid, and set over moderate heat to steam them open. You can eat them just as they are with lemon and brown bread and butter. Discard any that have remained closed. Mussels cooked this way are wonderful added to omelettes or tossed in a mayonnaise dressing and served with brown bread and butter. Oysters: Their exquisite taste of the sea is what makes oysters so special. Oysters gathered from our own waters arc only available during the colder months of the yearthose months having the letter.’R’ in them. Keep unopened oysters with the deep shell downwards so the oyster remains moist in its natural juice. Served in the half shell on a bed of crushed ice with plenty of lemon, they make a wonderful first course.
Prawns: The best prawns come from the cold waters of the North Sea. I find frozen North Atlantic prawns are very tasty and delicious in salads, but thaw them completely and discard the juice or it will dilute delicate dressings.
Scallops: Fresh scallops are sold sitting in their pretty shells. Frozen scallops are sold without their shells. The delicately flavoured white flesh can be thickly sliced, but take care to leave the coral whole or it will break up when cooked. Scallops respond best to simple treatment and need only a few minutes cooking time.
Scampi: Once caught near Dublin, scampi are also known as Dublin Bay prawns, as well as by their French name, langoustines. The plump tails hold the fleshy edible part. Scampi are sold both raw and cooked and are best when served cold with a mayonnaise dressing. Most frozen scampi are already breadcrumbed,- which rather limits the way you can cook and serve them.