The Informed Shopper – Part III – Seafood – Mollusks

The term “Mollusks” covers a large variety of invertebrates, not necessarily aquatic, with soft, unsegmented bodies covered entirely or partially by a thick shell consisting of one or more parts. They breathe through gills and propel themselves with the aid of a “foot”. Some of the familiar, edible mollusks are clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, snails, abalone, conch and, a European favorite, cockles. Like other shellfish, mollusks must be alive until cooked. Whenever opening a shell is required, I prefer to ask the monger to do it, but be sure he saves the liquid, or liqueur from the shells, because that keeps the meat moist and retains flavor. The first five listed are those most often found on menus in the United States, and so, I will discuss them first.

Clams, although found in other waters, especially in the Orient, are more popular in America than other countries and many varieties can be found along both coasts, some 30 along the Pacific coast alone. Generally, however, clams can be divided into two categories; soft shell and hard shell. Soft shelled clams are tidewater dwellers with a long siphon or “neck” that they use to burrow in the sand. Along the Pacific, the most common are called razor clams, in the East they’re simply soft shells, steamers or where I come from “piss clams” because they expel the sand that accumulates in their shells by squirting it through the siphon. These clams are best lightly cooked, but since their shells are always ajar, they must be soaked for several hours first in salted water to cleanse the sand. They are wonderful served steamed in shell to be dipped in melted butter, but to be used in other dishes or sauces, the siphon must be removed. Like other shellfish, clams must be alive before cooking. If they are, the siphon will move when touched.

Hard shell clams live in deeper water and are labeled by size.  In the Western U.S. the Pismo is famous.  In the Eastern states  the smallest, the littlenecks are sweet and tender, and the larger Cherrystones are known for full flavor and usually served raw “on the half shell”. I have the monger open these for me because they can be difficult. The largest of the Pacific, the mud clam or gooey-duck and the Atlantic quahog, are used for chowders and stews and aside from perhaps a dock-side market, are not sold retail. All clams are sold by count.  Clams are alive if their shells are tightly closed when raw and open in cooking. Discard any that are open raw and closed after cooked.  Clam meat is not sold raw or frozen, but is to be found canned in most markets.  I love using the small “Baby Clams” from Indonesia for pasta sauce. One can makes enough sauce for two even three servings.

Oysters like clams should smell faintly of the sea, and their shells should be tightly closed. Discard any open ones. They are rarely served cooked in shell, so this is an important step.  Unlike clams they must always be kept on ice, and never  turned on their sides or their liqueur will seep out and they will dry. Oysters too come in many varieties, American, European , Pacific and Olympian , a miniature breed, to name a few. They have a delicate flavor, which can be slightly changed by the location of the “bed” in which they were cultivated. For years men have tended oyster beds and I suppose it’s the earliest type of Aqua Farming. In the U.S. oysters are routinely sold by labels which indicate the location of their bed such as “Blue Points.”  The choice of purchase depends on availability and intended use. They are very difficult to open so I always have the monger “shuck” them, especially if they are to be served on the half shell, but they must then be eaten within an hour or so. Oyster meat is sold vacuum packed at the fish counter and can be stored according to the date stamped on the package, but should be entirely consumed once opened and the liqueur should be clear. Never rinse oysters. They lose their flavor.

Muscles, like oysters, can be found in many varieties around the world, but the main difference between them is size rather than type. Unlike some other bi-valves they are never eaten raw, and need to be cleaned before being cooked because they don’t live on the seabed, but cling to objects like buoys, rocks and piers by attaching themselves to the sea-weed that grows on these structures. Bits of the weed, called the “beard” sticks to the muscles ‘shells when they are harvested and must be removed by scrubbing with a brush before cooking. Muscle shells may be ajar and if it is alive, the shell will close under cold running water. The same rules apply as with the other bi-valves. They should be odorless, kept cold, the shells closed when raw and open when cooked. Again discard any that aren’t. They can be stored flat on a tray, covered with a damp cloth, in the refrigerator for up to two days, and though not sold fresh, the meat is sold frozen in bags.

Scallops are the only bi-valves that are never sold raw. Usually only two types are seen by consumers in markets; Bay and Sea. Actually true Bay scallops are very rare, what is called “bay” is a “calico” scallop. Small and tender, calicos are partially steamed before coming to market because of their size. Otherwise it would be too difficult to remove their shells. This extends their refrigeration life to three days, and allows them to cook quickly, but beware, overcooking toughens them.
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Sea scallops are quite large, often over 1 inch in diameter, and harvested by boats that stay out to sea for weeks at a time. To conserve space, and preserve the meat, the scallops are shelled and stored in salted water. The longer they are stored, the whiter they become, so try to pick ones with a pale pink tinge, and the meat should be firm, with a mild ocean scent. Because of the way all scallops are processed before coming to market, and the fact that the abductor muscle, through which no toxins pass, is the only part sold, they are safe to eat raw and their refrigeration life as stated is about three days. They are only sold by the pound, over the counter.

Snails have varieties  native to land or water both  fresh and sea, but all can be cooked in the same recipes.  Aside from the small sea snail, the periwinkle, most of the snails on the menu are land dwellers, but the fact that they can be used interchangeably in dishes, gets them generally included in the “shellfish” category. In America, snails are only found canned in most markets, the meat in one tin and the polished shells in a larger container, with preparation directions included. Should you encounter fresh snails in the fish counter, cooking them is not complicated, but this too,  is similar to the treatment for other mollusks. Soak them in warm water just long enough to loosen the covering membrane and force them from their shells. Discard any that don’t emerge, then boil them briefly in salted water before continuing with the chosen recipe.

Abalone is native to the Pacific Ocean, and was once common off California. Now the supply is greatly reduced and wild abalone can’t be sold fresh outside California, but it is being farm raised, so it should become more visible in the markets. Dried canned, including Mexican abalone can be found in Eastern specialty markets especially those featuring Chinese-American cuisine. It can also be found on line, but check the source first. Fresh, it is extremely tough, and needs to be pounded with a mallet before cooking and will toughen again, if overcooked. Hence, aside from a chowder, it is sautéed or fried in most presentations. It is never sold  in the shell.

Conch is found in warm waters and a favorite of people living on islands surrounded by them. As with abalone the meat, though flavorful, is tough and needs to be pounded with a sharp-edged instrument, like a plate, or parboiled and pounded with a mallet, to break the fibers before further cooking. Also like abalone, the meat toughens again if overcooked. It’s not found in regular markets in the U.S. other than those located in the extreme South, and I have never seen it canned or frozen, but it’s readily available on the internet, just check the reliability of the source.  Like abalone it’s usually fried or in a stew, but can be served ceviche in a mild citrus juice marinade.

Cockles are a European favorite becoming popular in the U.S. Sometimes called New Zealand Clams they aren’t  regularly found in supermarkets, you should seek out fish stores especially for fresh ones. . They can also be ordered canned in vinegar or brine from reliable internet sources. They have a sweet, delicate taste and are wonderful raw when very fresh, with just a squeeze of lemon.  Like other bi-valves they should be alive until cooked, and the usual tests apply, plus cockles should be very plump, like little pillows. If they appear dry or have any wrinkles discard them. The amount of meat in one is roughly the same as a  muscle or small clam and they can be served in any of the recipes  recommended for other bi-valves. They compliment other fish, such as cod, are great over pasta, in stir-fries, and the canned ones are good in salads. If you haven’t tried them yet, and get the chance, by all means do.

Okay, I’ve spent weeks discussing shopping information but what does it all mean for you?  Well, I’m going to try at least, to connect it and show you how to use it in my next posting, or since that’s the week of St. Patrick’s Day and I’ll probably have some tips on the holiday food to pass on, the very next week.