Oyster, Clams And Mussels Recipe
Yield: 1 infoRecipe by luhu.jp
Ingredients:
Oysters,
Directions:
Oysters clams and mussels are shellfish known as bivalve mollusks
because they have two shells that are hinged together, with a strong
adductor muscle for opening and closing the shells. Bivalve mollusks
purchased in the shell must be alive up to the moment that they are
cooked
or eaten uncooked, as the case may be. If these shellfish
die in their shell, they are unfit to eat. When you purchase bivalves
that are already shucked, make sure they are plump and smell fresh,
not stale or with any hint of ammonia smell. They should also be
stored and sold in their own liquor or natural juices; this is
essential for maintaining their quality. Make sure your bivalves come
from certified waters because they are "filter feeders", ingesting
about 100 gallons of water a day in order to filter out the
one-celled organisms that are their food. Anyone selling live
bivalves in the shell must have a certificate tag indicating that the
bivalves were harvested in approved waters.
The waters in which oysters grow determines their unique flavor
characteristics. Live oysters, when carefully stored (34-40
F) remain
alive for up to two weeks after harvesting. Because you cant tell
when the oysters you buy were harvested, its always best to consume
them within a day or two of purchase. Store them flat, with their
cupped side down and the flat side up (this ensures that the oyster
will be surrounded by its liquor). A thin layer of crumpled newspaper
or rock salt in a rimmed baking sheet will help the oysters to sit
evenly. Cover with some newspaper or a damp towel, if you like, to
keep them cool and moist; do not store oysters in an airtight
container or in fresh water, or they will die.
1. There is more than one way to shuck an oyster, but regardless of
the method, be sure to protect your hand holding the oyster with
several thicknesses of a dish towel or a heavy glove.
2. To shuck the oyster, use an oyster knife and hold the oyster with
the cupped side down in one hand. Either at the wide, ruffled end of
the oyster, or back alongside the hinge, insert the point of the
knife between the shells (you may have to try this in a few locations
until you find a spot that "gives").
3. Slide the knife blade into the oyster, across the top, flat shell,
holding the blade flat against the upper shell to avoid puncturing the
oyster meat. Slide the knife blade back and forth to cut the adductor
muscle attaching the top and bottom shells.
4. Then gently twist t he knife blade to pry apart the shells and
carefully remove the top shell, leaving the oyster and its liquor in
the bottom shell.
Mussels and Clams
Store mussels or clams in a bowl or colander, or loosely wrapped in
newspaper, in the refrigerator, covered with a damp cloth if you
like. Do not store in an airtight container or in fresh water, or
they will die. At the proper temperature (34-40
F), they will keep
for five to seven days, but you really should cook them within a
couple of days of purchase.
A mussel is often sold still attached to its "beard", a small bundle
of dark fibers that the mussel uses to attach itself to its home base
as it grows. Although it is not harmful to eat, you will want to
remove the beard before cooking; using your fingers, or with the aid
of a small knife, simply grab onto the beard and pull. occasionally,
a small bit of the mussel tissue will come out with the beard, and
this can cause the mussel to die within a few hours, so it is best to
debeard mussels just before cooking them.
If the mussels you have purchased have no beards, they were likely
removed by the processor, who does so in such a way that t he mussel
tissue is not affected and no harm is done.
At one time, all clams needed "purging" to remove the sand from their
systems before they could be cooked, but today most clams have been
purged before they reach market. To test the clams you have bought,
simply steam one open and taste it to see if there is any t race of
sand.
To purge sandy clams, soak them in generous amounts of lightly salted
cool water with a couple of tablespoons of flour or cornmeal stirred
in to speed things up. After a few hours, the clams should have
purged themselves of their sand.
Note: It is very important that in-the-shell oysters, clams and
mussels be alive when they are prepared. Even though all were alive
when you bought them, check again just before cooking. They should
have firmly closed shells, or shells that close tightly when you
squeeze them or tap them on the counter. Discard any that remain
open. Also discard any that have cracked or broken shells. You may
want to buy a few more oysters, mussels, or clams than a recipe calls
for, in case you have to discard any before cooking.
Simply Seafood Winter 1994
Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 01-13-95
Source from luhu.jp
because they have two shells that are hinged together, with a strong
adductor muscle for opening and closing the shells. Bivalve mollusks
purchased in the shell must be alive up to the moment that they are
cooked
or eaten uncooked, as the case may be. If these shellfish
die in their shell, they are unfit to eat. When you purchase bivalves
that are already shucked, make sure they are plump and smell fresh,
not stale or with any hint of ammonia smell. They should also be
stored and sold in their own liquor or natural juices; this is
essential for maintaining their quality. Make sure your bivalves come
from certified waters because they are "filter feeders", ingesting
about 100 gallons of water a day in order to filter out the
one-celled organisms that are their food. Anyone selling live
bivalves in the shell must have a certificate tag indicating that the
bivalves were harvested in approved waters.
The waters in which oysters grow determines their unique flavor
characteristics. Live oysters, when carefully stored (34-40
F) remain
alive for up to two weeks after harvesting. Because you cant tell
when the oysters you buy were harvested, its always best to consume
them within a day or two of purchase. Store them flat, with their
cupped side down and the flat side up (this ensures that the oyster
will be surrounded by its liquor). A thin layer of crumpled newspaper
or rock salt in a rimmed baking sheet will help the oysters to sit
evenly. Cover with some newspaper or a damp towel, if you like, to
keep them cool and moist; do not store oysters in an airtight
container or in fresh water, or they will die.
1. There is more than one way to shuck an oyster, but regardless of
the method, be sure to protect your hand holding the oyster with
several thicknesses of a dish towel or a heavy glove.
2. To shuck the oyster, use an oyster knife and hold the oyster with
the cupped side down in one hand. Either at the wide, ruffled end of
the oyster, or back alongside the hinge, insert the point of the
knife between the shells (you may have to try this in a few locations
until you find a spot that "gives").
3. Slide the knife blade into the oyster, across the top, flat shell,
holding the blade flat against the upper shell to avoid puncturing the
oyster meat. Slide the knife blade back and forth to cut the adductor
muscle attaching the top and bottom shells.
4. Then gently twist t he knife blade to pry apart the shells and
carefully remove the top shell, leaving the oyster and its liquor in
the bottom shell.
Mussels and Clams
Store mussels or clams in a bowl or colander, or loosely wrapped in
newspaper, in the refrigerator, covered with a damp cloth if you
like. Do not store in an airtight container or in fresh water, or
they will die. At the proper temperature (34-40
F), they will keep
for five to seven days, but you really should cook them within a
couple of days of purchase.
A mussel is often sold still attached to its "beard", a small bundle
of dark fibers that the mussel uses to attach itself to its home base
as it grows. Although it is not harmful to eat, you will want to
remove the beard before cooking; using your fingers, or with the aid
of a small knife, simply grab onto the beard and pull. occasionally,
a small bit of the mussel tissue will come out with the beard, and
this can cause the mussel to die within a few hours, so it is best to
debeard mussels just before cooking them.
If the mussels you have purchased have no beards, they were likely
removed by the processor, who does so in such a way that t he mussel
tissue is not affected and no harm is done.
At one time, all clams needed "purging" to remove the sand from their
systems before they could be cooked, but today most clams have been
purged before they reach market. To test the clams you have bought,
simply steam one open and taste it to see if there is any t race of
sand.
To purge sandy clams, soak them in generous amounts of lightly salted
cool water with a couple of tablespoons of flour or cornmeal stirred
in to speed things up. After a few hours, the clams should have
purged themselves of their sand.
Note: It is very important that in-the-shell oysters, clams and
mussels be alive when they are prepared. Even though all were alive
when you bought them, check again just before cooking. They should
have firmly closed shells, or shells that close tightly when you
squeeze them or tap them on the counter. Discard any that remain
open. Also discard any that have cracked or broken shells. You may
want to buy a few more oysters, mussels, or clams than a recipe calls
for, in case you have to discard any before cooking.
Simply Seafood Winter 1994
Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 01-13-95
Source from luhu.jp