Raw Shellfish and Shrimp

Frutti di Mare Crudi: Cozze, Vongole, Ostriche, e Gamberi
Long Islanders are fortunate to be surrounded by water – a terrific food source for many. As a child growing up, I remember the vast amounts of seafood, both cooked and raw, that we were fortunate to have. At the risk of offending New Englanders, I think L.I. has the best clams. The sweet and briny liquid that is inside the clam is for me like nectar of the gods. I can understand why Italians are so into seafood – both raw and cooked – especially in the coastal areas like Genoa, Cinque Terre, Venezia, Bari, Napoli, the Amalfi coast, Sorrento, and all of coastal Sicilia and Sardinia.
In America people raise their eyebrows about raw seafood – it’s almost a taboo. Actually, raw seafood is eaten in many areas of the world, and like meat, it needs to be fresh. I have provided some guidelines that my mother and my grandparents followed regarding raw shell fish and shrimp. I did not include raw sea urchins or scallops as I have not seen these items available in the shell at seafood establishments in the U.S. The key is FRESH, and as a general rule, if you eat raw seafood, 4 is the number to remember – no more than 4 days from when caught.
Cleaning and Purging Mussels
Nowadays nearly all mussels you buy at your fishmonger or supermarket are commercially farmed. They are cultivated on ropes that are attached to buoys and then lowered into the sea or wooden poles. Normally they are quite clean inside, but occasionally you might bite on a mussel with some sand in it. That's an unpleasant experience and can spoil your entire meal. So you must clean and purge the mussels before preparing any mussel dish.
Just follow these simple steps:
· Raw Mussels are sold live. Make sure the shells are unbroken and closed and have a faint smell of sea and not of fish.
· Place the mussels in plenty of cold fresh water right away so they stay closed. Dead mussels will not close and need to be discarded.
· Scrub the shells and remove any barnacles as well as the black fibrous "beard". Discard mussels with cracked shells.
· Purge the mussels of sand and debris inside their digestive tracks. Here is an age old method: Put the mussels in a container with cold water and add 1/2 cup of cornmeal. Let it stand for 1 hour. The mussels will eat the cornmeal and expel any sand or grit. Run them under water again to remove all sand and cornmeal at the end.
· Place mussels on shaved ice in frig until ready to use.

Cleaning and Purging Clams
Unlike most mussels, clams are still caught wild. They need to be cleaned of sand and grit prior to eating them. To do this:
· In a bowl, immerse them in fresh cold water. Let them sit there for 20 minutes while they expel the debris – remove clams from bowl by lifting up each one with your hands – if you dump the water out of the bowl while the clams are still inside it, the detritus will go right back into their shells.
· Clams that do not shut lips when tapped need to be discarded.
· Repeat this process one more time.
· Scrub clam shell under running cold water with brush.
· Place cleaned clams on shaved ice until ready to use.

Cleaning Oysters
I recommend wild-caught or farm-raised from an organic source for all oysters you consume.
· A malodorous oyster needs to be discarded.
· Wearing a gloves and using a scrub brush, hold oyster flat on one hand while running cold water and scrub the oyster shell with the other.
· Place the oyster on shaved ice until ready to use.

Cleaning Fresh Whole Shrimp
I recommend wild-caught or farm-raised from an organic source for all shrimp you consume.
· Rinse shrimp under cold water, leaving the heads on.
· Remove the part of the shell between the neck (just before head) and an 1/8 of an inch above the tail – start by removing feet from the front and then “opening the jacket.”
· With sharp knife slide down the back of the exposed part and remove fecal matter – rinse under cold water.
· Arrange shrimp on a circular plate with shaved ice, making a wreath design. Place lemon wedges/slices all around.
· Place in frig until ready to eat raw or cook, if desired.

Shucking Mussels, Clams, and Oysters
Mussels
With a clam/oyster knife or a sharp kitchen knife, place the blade between the upper and lower lip and pry open. Hold mussel flat and steady as to not lose the natural brine contained therein. Serve immediately with lemons or favorite sauce on top of shaved ice.
Clams
With a clam knife or a sharp kitchen knife, place the blade between the upper and lower lip, holding the clam vertically. Press down on blade to sever the shell lips – do this as quickly as possible to preserve inner clam juices. Lay flat on shaved ice and serve immediately with lemons or favorite sauce.
Oysters
Use gloves to shuck oysters. With clam/oyster knife, lay oyster flat on one hand, and with the other, use the knife to break the hinge holding the two lips at the rear of the oyster. Be sure to hold flat to preserve the oyster’s juices after it’s opened. Lay flat on shaved ice and serve immediately with lemons or favorite sauce.