Crustaceans—this is where the four most important culinary shellfish belong—shrimp,

lobster, crab and crayfish.

Mollusks—this includes every other shellfish that has ever showed up in the kitchen,

alive or dead.

This classification is strictly for general information. Since it has no culinary

significance, you don't need to remember what is a crustacean and what is not. But it is handy to

know what the terms refer to when you run across them in a cookbook.

There are 13 species of shellfish at markets and all are low in fat. Most are often available

seasonally but not all are available in every region of the U.S. and Canada.. Look at the shellfish

table at the end of this chapter for a description of each one.

Getting acquainted with shellfish

Here is some additional specific information about each of the 13 species of shellfish that

you are likely to find at the fish market.

Abalone is a large single-shelled mollusk with a proportionally large creamy white, firm

muscle that has a mild and wonderful flavor. The muscle that cooks commonly cut it into slices

as steaks, is tough and rubbery when fresh and needs some tenderizing, either in a tenderizing

bath or with a meat mallet.

This mollusk was in high demand in the 1970s and as a result fishermen severely

overfished it. It virtually disappeared from markets through the 1980s, but aquaculturing abalone

began in the 1990s. You're still not likely to find it in any but the most exclusive seafood

markets. It is a slow-growing mollusk (takes four years to develop 3½ ounces or 100 g of meat),

and the appetite for abalone, especially in sushi bars in Japan, is insatiable. Expect to pay $40 to

$50 a pound (half a kilo) (U.S. price in late 1990s), including the shell!

Count on 4 to 5 ounces (110 to 140 g) of abalone meat per person. About 30 percent of

abalone in the shell is edible meat.

Clam is a bivalve mollusk. This means its shell has two halves, and the muscle that holds

them together is the one we love so much. You can buy clams live in the shell, shucked (which

means they have been removed from the shell) or pasteurized in cans. Live is the best choice if

you don't mind the extra work of shucking. Steaming in a large pot loosens the grip of the muscle

and the shells fall open. The best indication of a live clam is a tightly closed shell.

The major culinary division for clams is soft-shell and hard-shell (this one is also called

quahog). The names refer to the thickness of the shells. Soft-shell varieties have shells so thin

that you can push your finger right through them. The hard-shell varieties, on the other hand, are

so thick you may need a hammer to break them. The best way to prepare soft-shell clams is to

steam or fry them. You can eat small hard-shell clams raw. If they are large, processors chop or

mince them and use them in a preparation like chowder. Different kinds are available in different

areas, but within the two major categories, you can substituted them for each other.

Occasionally you come across cockle, a species of clam. It may incorrectly be called

winkle, a shortened name for periwinkle, which is an edible snail-like mollusk not commonly

available. Cockles are far more popular in Europe and Southeast Asia than in Amercia.

TASTINGS The clam clan

There are eight species of clams in commerce, one of which is a fresh-water

variety. At the market, however, you won’t find them labeled by name but rather

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