Cooking shellfish can be tricky. Shellfish can turn "bad" quicker than scaled fish and they are sensitive to overcooking. Get quality ingredients and follow the recipe closely, and you will have a delicious meal.
Instructions
1. Purchase the freshest ingredients. Hard shell clams and muscles should be alive in shell when purchased, or frozen. The shell should be tightly sealed or it should close when tapped. With lobster and crab, live is also ideal.
2. Cook fresh seafood quickly. Try to cook it within 24 hours of purchase
3. If you are using frozen seafood, thaw it correctly. If possible, thaw it immediately before cooking.
4. Boil lobsters. They are so flavorful that they need no special preparation. Simply boil water and put the lobster in, head first.
5. Steam crabs. You will know that they are done when their shells turn bright red. Like lobsters, they need no special flavoring because they are already so flavorful.
6. Steam muscles. They should only be cooked for about 2 or 3 minutes in a covered pan.
7. Discard bad muscles. The muscles should open up when cooked. Any ones that stay closed should be thrown out.
8. Serve lobsters and crabs with melted butter. Crack the shells and dip the flesh in the butter.
9. Sautee shrimp, scallops, and clams. They will be delicious cooked in wine sauce, garlic butter or oil. Sauteeing allows you to watch them carefully and stop cooking when they are perfect.
10. Shrimp, scallops, and clams can also be steamed. Steaming can be a great way to prefer a mixed-seafood main dish.
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