The Writer's E-Zine Home

Writers' Village University - F2K: Free Fiction Writing Course - ePress-online
Writers' Village University Membership Information

Catherine's Kitchen

Catherine Manning

Shellfish

THANKS TO BRUNO PHILLIPS, who wrote July's Craft Feature, I didn't have to think about what to write about this month. Bruno wrote me asking for clarification, selection and cooking of shellfish. Many people are reluctant to eat shellfish, maybe because of bad experiences or purely through lack of knowledge of selection and use. There are some people who are allergic to shellfish and should avoid eating it.

The Number One criteria for any food ESPECIALLY shellfish, is FRESHNESS. There are many different breeds of lobsters, crabs, scallops, mussels, cockles, oysters, shrimp or prawns, depending where you are in the world. Then there are tree oysters in Trinidad, also black and white sea urchins or what we call sea eggs. I'm counting sea urchins as shellfish as they have shells, and live on the reef, and we eat them, so the same criteria applies to them as to the others. Obviously, sometimes out of necessity, we might have to use frozen or canned shellfish, if we cannot get what we need fresh; but then we have to depend on others to be sure it's freshly frozen or canned.

Suppliers have to be very careful of their source and product, as one bad 'apple' can put them out of business. There are wild mussels in natural beds and rocks, and cultivated mussels, bred on wooden hurdles. France, for instance, has some very good natural beds. Mussels bred on hurdles are small, plump, delicately flavoured. Mussels shouldn't be harvested from polluted water or from the bottoms of ships, not that those from the bottom of a ship might be bad, but because harbour water is polluted.

Only CLAMS and MUSSELS that are tightly closed should be used for cooking. Rinse thoroughly in cold water and examine carefully; tap any that are not tightly closed with the handle of a knife. If they don't close, discard them. Scrub them well with a small stiff brush, scraping away any weed. Rinse them well under a running tap and soak in a bowl of fresh water. Lift out (don't drain) mussels, place them in a colander, and rinse again. After they are cleaned, leave in a bowl of water with a handful of flour or cornmeal, to soak for about 30 minutes. This helps to plump them up and get rid of any remaining sand and grit. Drain them and place them in a deep saucepan with about 1/2 cup of water for 4-1/2 pints of clams. Cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the shells open; discard any that don't open and save the liquid for your recipe.

MUSSELS IN CREAM (or clams)

• Line a buttered saucepan with 3 TBS chopped shallot.
• Add 2 sprigs parsley
• 1 sprig thyme and 1/2 bay leaf
• Add 4-1/2 pints of mussels (prepared)
• 2 TBS. butter cut in small pieces
• Moisten with 1 cup of dry white wine.

Cook covered over a very high flame. The liquid should cover the mussels as it boils. As soon as all the mussels are fully opened, remove to a bowl and keep warm.

• Strain the reserved liquid the mussels were cooked in
• then add 1-1/4 cups Béchamel sauce
• Mix in a few tablespoons of fresh cream

Simmer until it's quite thick. Finish with 4 TBS cream and 1 TBS butter. Season and strain through muslin. Bring sauce to the boil and pour over mussels.

OYSTERS

Have been around forever. The Greeks prized oysters highly and used their shells for casting their votes, inscribing their choices on the white mother-of-pearl of the shell. They were so popular in France that in 1754, gathering of oysters had to be prohibited between April and October as the oyster beds were being exhausted. In 1840 it became necessary to call in the navy to guard the depleted beds when they realised that they would have to import oysters to replenish the beds. With the help of the Italian oyster industry, Americans developed man-made oyster beds.

Raw oysters are very nutritional and contain vitamins, phosphorous salts, chalk, iron, copper, magnesium and a high proportion of iodine. Oysters must not be opened until just before serving. They're best served very cold, so it is advisable to lay them on crushed ice as soon as they are opened. Serve with a simple dressing and slices of buttered brown bread.

Years ago in my youth (ha!) and never forgotten, was my first (and last) taste of a fresh oyster. Not that it was bad, mind you. It was top quality! One of my uncles had an import business, mostly food at that time. As a bonus for himself, my father and one other person, he occasionally brought in three barrels of Blue Point Oysters. I will never forget this fifty-gallon drum of Blue Point oysters in brine, sitting in a room off the kitchen. Every night after everyone had gone to bed and until he finished them, my father solemnly removed 36 oysters, shucked them, made up his sauce and sat and ate them all by himself. Makes you think, but then they ARE six of us!

One night, I was about ten, and for some reason I couldn't sleep, so I went downstairs to find my father sitting at the breakfast table with an enormous platter of freshly shucked oysters on the half shell in front of him. They looked very 'gourmet'. He had made a bowl of his special sauce and was happily slurping away! He offered me one; I declined. He insisted, saying how good they were, so I reluctantly opened my mouth and he poured one in. Guess what: he ended up eating it; said he wasn't going to waste it! Not sure which is worse, a raw egg or a raw oyster! I suppose I was introduced a little bit too early. I do love them cooked however, especially...

OYSTERS FLORENTINE

Fill the deep halves of the shell with spinach cooked in butter. Put an oyster on top of each. Cover with Mornay Sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and brown in the oven.

Seems to me that Oysters Florentine has been converted to OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER, but due to space I can't get into that now.

Bon Appetit and enjoy
Cath