Scallops
King scallops have a sweet, rich taste that ranges from mild to briny. Raw, the drum-shaped meat is a shiny, creamy white, sometimes with pinkish or brown spots. Top-quality scallops should have an ivory translucence and elastic springiness that allows them to keep their shape. Cooked meat is opaque white with a firm, lean texture. Scallops require very little cooking and can be thinly sliced and eaten raw with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
Guide price £29.99 per kilo
Did you know? Scallops are regarded as the most attractive shell fish of all, with their fan shaped shells that are often used to serve the scallops once cooked.
Prawns
Prawns are the world’s most popular crustaceans, and are eaten in huge quantities around the globe. The cardinal rule with any prawns or shrimps is not to overcook. Ready cooked prawns should preferably be eaten without further cooking.
Guide Price £
Did you know?
Technically, there are no difference between prawns and shrimps; the names are merely an indication of size.
Cockles, Whelks and Winkles
All known as gastropods and molluscs, single shelled and hinged shelled creatures belonging to the snail family, very popular as a light snack usually with vinegar, but can also be used in seafood salads, used as an appetiser or to dress fresh fish recipes.
Guide prices:
Cockles £ per 100g
Whelks £ per kilo
Winkles £ per 100g
Crayfish
Cray fish are miniature fresh water lobsters, which grow to a maximum size of only 4 inches. Delicious! As a substitute to prawns, and often used in the same way, popular as cocktail starter. If you buy fresh crayfish allow at least 8-10 per serving as there is a lot of waste, however the heads can be used to garnish or great for stocks and soups.
Oysters
One of life’s great luxuries, oysters evokes passionate feelings- people tend either to love or loathe them. Their unique, salty, iodised flavour and slippery texture may not appeal to everyone, but their reputation as an aphrodisiac has contributed to their popularity, and they are highly prized all over the world. Oysters are best eaten raw with just a squeeze of lemon or a dash of Tabasco. If you prefer to cook them, do so very briefly. They are good poached or steamed, grilled, the flesh can also be deep fried in cornmeal batter; or as a luxurious addition to steak & kidney pie.
Guide price £0.90p each
Did you know? Our own native oysters are considered the finest of all oysters.
Mussels (live)
Once regarded as the poor relation of the shellfish family, mussels are now very popular. These succulent bivalves, with their elongated blue-black shells, have been eaten since the earliest of times. Mussels are enormously versatile. They can be eaten raw or steamed very simply. Large mussels can be stuffed and baked or grilled with flavoured butter, bacon or pesto, there is almost no limit to how you can cook them and are a great ingredient to add excitement to lots of different recipes.
Guide price £ per kilo
Did you know?
The national dish of Belgium is moules frites ,crispy fried mussels with chips, served with a glass of beer.
Clams
Clams are often served raw on the half shell; cooked, they make wonderful pasta sauces. They have quite a strong flavour and are great for making clam chowder.
Guide price £ per kilo
Did you know?
You should not get rid of the juices that clams contain as this is highly nutritious and can be added to shellfish stock and soups.