Wizard Recipes

OYSTERS, CLAMS, and SCALLOPS are salt-water fish that belong to the family of mollusks, or soft-bodied animals. They are entirely encased in hard shells, which, though of the same general shape, differ somewhat from each other in appearance.

Oysters are larger than clams and have a rough, uneven shell, whereas clams have a smooth, roundish shell. The three varieties of mollusks are closely related in their composition and in their use as food, but as oysters are probably used more commonly than the others they are considered first.

Oysters, as will be observed, contain only a small quantity of fat, and for this reason their total food value is somewhat lower than that of milk. A pint of milk has a value of 325 calories, while the same quantity of oysters has an approximate value of only 250 calories.

Because of the difference in the cost of these two foods, oysters costing several times as much as milk, the use of oysters is not so cheap a way of supplying food material.

DIGESTIBILITY OF OYSTERS

When merely the ability of the digestive tract to handle oysters is taken into consideration, they are said to be easily digested if they are served raw or are properly prepared.

This is due to the fact that when taken as a food they are disposed of in a comparatively short time by the stomach. In addition, their absorption from the alimentary tract is quite complete; that is, they contain little or no waste material. But, just as cooking has much to do with the digestibility of other protein foods, so it has with oysters.

For this reason, the housewife who wishes to feed her family this food in its most digestible form must thoroughly understand all phases of its cooking.

PURCHASING OYSTERS

To be able to purchase oysters intelligently, the housewife should be familiar with the names of the various kinds. These names are dependent on the locality from which the oysters come, and include Blue Points, Cape Cods, Cotuits, Lynn Havens, and numerous other varieties.

It should be remembered that the varieties raised in different localities are quite distinctive, differing to some extent in both size and appearance. Unless the purchaser is familiar with the different varieties, almost any of the small oysters are likely to be sold to her for one of the small varieties and, likewise, any of the large oysters for one of the large varieties.

While this is of small consequence, provided the quality is satisfactory and the price is right, it is well for every housewife to familiarize herself with the names of the various kinds, so that she may know just what variety she is purchasing

When oysters are bought in the shell, they should be alive, a fact that can be determined by the tightly closed shell, as has already been stated. If the shells are not closed or can be easily pried apart, it may be known that the oysters are not good and that they should be rejected.

When it is possible to procure them, oysters that have been removed from the shells immediately after being taken from the beds are preferable to those which have not been removed from the shells before shipping. When purchased out of the shells, oysters should be grayish in color, should have no disagreeable odor, and should contain no excess water or liquid.

After being purchased, oysters should be kept on ice unless they can be cooked at once. The season for oysters is from September to April, inclusive. While in some localities they can be purchased at other times during the year, they are not likely to be so good. In fact, it is not safe to use oysters during the warm months.

IMPORTANT POINTS IN COOKING OYSTERS

The protein of oysters, like that found in other foods, is coagulated by heat. Long heat, provided it is sufficiently intense, makes oysters tough, and in this condition they are neither agreeable to eat nor readily digested. When they are to be cooked at a high temperature, therefore, the cooking should be done quickly.

If they are to be cooked at a temperature below the boiling point, they may be subjected to heat for a longer time without becoming so tough as when a high temperature is used. Cooking quickly at a high temperature, however, is preferable in most cases to long, slow cooking.

For example, in the preparation of oyster stew, long cooking produces no better flavor than short cooking at a high temperature and renders oysters far less digestible.

OPENING OYSTERS

Unless oysters are bought already opened, it becomes necessary to open them in the home before they can be served raw or cooked. To open oysters is not difficult, and with a little experience the work can be done with ease. It will be well to note that the two shells of an oyster, which are called valves, are held together by a single muscle, known as the adductor muscle, that lies near the center, and that this muscle must be cut before the shell will open readily.

Before attempting to open oysters, however, they should be scrubbed with clean water, so as to remove any sand that may be on the shells. When the oysters are cleaned, insert the point of a knife into the hinged, or pointed, end and push the blade between the valves until they appear to separate, when it will be known that the muscle has been cut.

Then, lay the valves open and loosen the oyster from the shell by slipping the knife under it. If the oysters that are being opened are to be cooked before serving, simply drop them with their liquid into a suitable vessel and discard the shells.

Before using the oysters, remove them from the liquid, look them over carefully to see that no small particles of shells cling to them, and wash them in clean, cold water to remove any sand that may be present.

Also, strain the liquid through a cloth, so that it will be free from sand when used in the preparation of the dish for which the oysters are to be used or for the making of soup or broth.

Oysters that are to be eaten raw are frequently served on the half shell. Therefore, if they are to be used in this way, place each oyster, as it is loosened in the process of opening, into the deeper shell, and discard the other one.

Very often good-looking oyster shells are saved in order that they may be used from time to time in serving raw oysters that are bought already opened.

Seafood in the kitchen is almost like French pastry-it is quite a challenge to many cooks. While creating French pastries is difficult and it takes enormous experience and know how, preparing good seafood is easy. It takes only some basic knowledge and a little experience.

Here is some additional specific information about each of the 4 species of shellfish that you are likely to find at the fish market:

Langostino is a small member of the lobster family caught off the Chilean coast. The tail meat, picked from the shell by hand, cooked and frozen is highly prized. This meat looks like small shrimp and tastes like lobster, but with a more delicate flavor. Its color is a brighter orange than lobster’s. A similar species, called lobsterette, lives off the coast of the Caribbean and south Florida, as well as in southern Europe. Retailers use the two names interchangeably.

Look for these in the freezer, either individually quick frozen or in bulk. They are moderately priced compared to lobster. You’ll find langostino marketed without tail so all is edible meat. For cooking, count on 4 to 5 ounces (110 to 140 g) per person.

Many people consider lobster the king of all shellfish, and some think that it should be listed on the menu in Heaven. The fact is that not everyone is willing to die and go to Heaven for it. In fact, not many are willing to pay the high price for it. A good lobster is indeed a treat, but not all lobster is good, and many discriminating seafood eaters feel it is overrated. Both scarcity and its image as a luxury seafood help keep lobster prices high.

Most think of lobster not only of a luxury food, but also as a very rich food, yet it only has a moderate amount of fat. Having such high esteem, chefs often prepare lobster to sparkle in appearance and flavor, which means loading it up with butter and sauces in the traditional French manner. Those additions are what make lobster rich, not the meat itself.

You can eat every part of a lobster but the shell. You can serve its tail, the white body meat and the claw meat in the shell right from the steamer. Chefs customarily use the tomalley, which is the unique-flavored green liver, and the roe (also called coral) in sauces. Actually, ambitious chefs even take advantage of the beautiful shell coloring by extracting its carotene pigment and using it as natural food coloring.

Like crab meat, fresh lobster does not freeze well (its texture suffers), but after blanching, the frozen and thawed meat retains its quality and texture well.

We have two important lobster species in the kitchen, one is named European and the second, much larger, American (or Maine) lobster. We also have the small spiny lobster, which is not a true lobster but a relative of the crayfish.

A live lobster in the shell yields 25 percent edible meat, same as a dead one. Serving sizes are same as crab: 1 to 1¼ pound (450 to 570 g) in the shell generously serves one person or 4 to 5 ounces (110 to 140 g) of raw lobster meat.

Mussel is a bivalve with meat that varies from pale tan to a deep orange in color. It has a tangy or smoky flavor. Like eel, mussels are much neglected in the U.S. but highly valued in Europe where they are actually farmed. In the right season mussel meat is excellent. During spawning, the flavor is less desirable, the amount of edible meat is less and it could be bitter.

One species, the blue or edible mussel, is by far the most commonly available, but some markets may also offer the greenshell mussel from New Zealand. Like clams, your best bet is to buy mussel live in tightly closed shells.

If you can slide the two shells past one another, the muscle of the mussel has relaxed, signifying that the animal is dead. Skip these and those with shells gaping open. Once the shell opens, clams and mussels dehydrate rapidly. Can’t find mussels for a recipe? You can substitute clams or oysters- different flavor but they behave the same in the sauce pan..

Mussels are now farmed. The cultivated ones have a milder flavor, but tight control over harvesting and distribution attests to their freshness. About 40 to 50 percent of in-the-shell mussels’ total weight is edible meat. Six to 8 shells

serve a person or 4 to 5 ounces (110 to 140 g) of shucked mussel meat.

Octopus is a delicacy in high regard in the Orient. It is less highly regarded in North America, probably for the same reason eels and snakes aren’t often on menus here. None of them look very pretty when alive. (Neither do pigs, you could argue.) Octopus has a delicate, firm, sweet white meat so high in quality that the Japanese even use it in sushi.

Octopus is particularly vulnerable to dry heat, which turns it into something resembling a piece of bread dough you have forgotten on the counter for a day. It does better when simmered for longer periods of time in stew-like preparations. In quick-cooking methods it is best if you tenderize the meat before cooking, especially if it came from a large (over 2½ pounds or 1140 g), older animal.

You can buy octopus in cans, too, but don’t bother sampling it. The flavor is very poor compared to the real thing. Eighty percent of the original dressed weight of octopus is edible meat. You’ll find it in the market dressed, cleaned, eyes and other inedible parts removed, and each weighing about 3 or 4 pounds (1360 to 1820 g). The amount to buy is 4 to 5 ounces (110 to 140 g) of meat per person.

Oysters are not for everyone, but the minority who likes them is unconditionally passionate about them. Other folks consume oysters in large quantities simply because of their reputation as an aphrodisiac. All this aside, oysters are a real delicacy, particularly when the host or hostess serves them au naturel, or raw.

Since uncooked meat of any kind has little or no flavor, traditional condiments and sauces usually accompany raw oysters, in which the texture and mouthfeel give the eating pleasure more than the flavor. Oysters change flavor drastically during spawning season. They accumulate glycogen, a starch which turns the meat milky and the taste starchy and bland. Their meat also contains a higher amount of fat during spawning season.

The old wives’ tale about eating them only in months with an “r” in their names works because those r-less months correspond with the spawning season. If the weather is cooler than normal, though, oysters retain their spawn and the flavor continues bland. It pays to look at both the calendar and the weather pattern before choosing an oyster recipe for the next dinner party.

You can buy oysters fresh in the shell, freshly shucked, or individually quick frozen. If you buy them shucked, make sure the liquid in the package or container is clear-this indicates freshness. You buy oysters in the shell by size-small, medium and large.

Very small and extra large sizes are also available, but these are mostly sold to restaurants. Of the six commercial species, three are common at retail or in restaurants. The highest quality Olympia oysters, from the Northwest, are larger and not quite as flavorful as Pacific (or Japanese) oysters, and finally the Eastern oysters, which you find most readily.

Serve oysters cold (raw or cooked) on the half shell on crushed ice with lemon or dipping sauce in a small bowl on the side. If you are serving them hot, display them on a bed ofhot coarse salt (the salt keeps the tiny creatures hot).

Edible yields vary a great deal, depend ing on the size and thickness of the shells and the size of the oysters. It is anywhere from a mere 5 percent for thick-shelled, small oysters to about 15 percent. If you buy oysters in the shell by the number, count on 6 to 9 per serving or if you buy them shucked, 4 to 5 ounces (110 to 140 g) by weight or 6 to 8 ounces (180 to 240 ml) by liquid volume

Fish is a very nutritious type of food with numerous dietetic qualities, easily digestible due to its high content of proteins, vitamins (A, D, E, B12) and minerals (Phosphor, Iodium and Potassium). More than that, fish contains the so called “good fat” which is non dangerous, high is no saturated fatty acids and also essential fatty acids like Omega 3 and 6, that cannot be synthesized by itself by our organism.

Advantages:

- decreases the risk of cardiac diseases

- the essential oils offer fluidity to the blood and diminish inflammatory effects, decreasing the risk or arthrosclerosis

- Omega 3 and 6 diminish psoriasis and poliarthritis symptoms.

- fish contains D vitamin, essential in Calcium absorption

- iron from anchovies and tuna is 30 times better absorbed than the iron from vegetables

- oysters have aphrodisiac properties, stimulating the estrogen and testosterone, assuring a high sperm quality

- fats contained in fish meat have a positive effect on HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), increasing its quantity

- seafood have a low calorie content, being indicated for diets

Disadvantages:

-Shrimps are high in Calcium, but also in cholesterol

-All seafood may contain toxic quantities of pollution metals (Mercury), so be careful from where you purchase them.

-Fish that is consumed raw must be extremely fresh

-The fish skin shouldn’t be consumed due its high fat content

-Salty fish is contraindicated for high blood pressure or hepatic diseases.

Did you know that some foods take their toll own our mood? Some nutrients are absolutely mandatory for the good functioning of our brain and nervous system which is in charge, among others, with our good well being. Here are some of the most important nutrients to keep us happy!

1) GLUCIDS

Glucids are in charge of stimulating the production of  serotonin, a neurotransmitter that influences the so called ‘good mood’. Sugar, for instance, is one of them, but, in order to keep our organism healthy, it is better if glucids are consumed in forms of cereals, bread, potatoes, beans, but not in excess, of course, because the body will transform them into fats. Also, eat generous portions of fruits and vegetables, and, the wonderful chocolate, that, even if you care about your figure, you can consume from time to time, but in small quantities. You may non know this, but the sweet tooth you always have may be a sign of lack of serotonin.

2) MINERALS

Iron. It is essential for the whole organism, helping neurotransmitors to be formed and transported. We can find it in meat, fish, some vegetables, nuts, cereals and seeds.

Zinc. It plays almost the same role  and it is found in the same foods as iron, with the exception that we can find plenty of zinc also in liver and oysters.

Magnesium. With calcium, it helps transmit the nervous impulses. If you are stressed, your magnesium level decreases, decrease that can lead to anxiety or depression. We can get magnesium from nuts, peanuts, almonds, sesame seeds, green leafed vegetables, fish, seafood, cereals.

3)B VITAMINS

Folic Acid (B9). Stimulates the serotonin secretion. Lack of folic acid can lead to irritability

agressivity, depression. B12 Vitamin can be found in green leafed vegetables, wheat,

soya, eggs, liver, oysters, cereals, and B6 in bananas, avocados,

asparagus.

4)FATTY ACIDS

Last researches show that fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6 which we can find in fish, seafood, regulate some hormonal actions, including the ones for our mood. These acids are very important to our brain, improving consistently our cognitive capacity. according to these studies, consuming one portion of fat fish, at least once a week decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer. Also, fatty acids contribute to improving you skin aspect, being used in cosmetic treatments.

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