Shellfish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing
aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs,
crustaceans,
and echinoderms.
Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater
environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater.
In addition a few species of land crabs are eaten, for example Cardisoma guanhumi in the Caribbean.
Despite the name, shellfish are not
a kind of fish,
but are simply animals that live in water. Many varieties of shellfish (crustaceans
in particular) are actually closely related to insects and arachnids, making up
one of the main classes of the phylum Arthropoda.
Cephalopods
(squid, octopus, cuttlefish) and bivalves
(clams, oysters) are molluscs, as are snails and slugs.
Familiar marine molluscs enjoyed as
a food source by humans include many species
of clams,
mussels,
oysters,
winkles, and scallops. Some crustaceans commonly eaten are shrimp, lobster,
crayfish,
and crabs.[1]
Echinoderms
are not as frequently harvested for food as molluscs and crustaceans, however sea urchin
roe
is quite popular in many parts of the world.[2][3]
Terminology
The term shellfish is used
both broadly and specifically. In common parlance, as in having
"shellfish" for dinner, it can refer to anything from clams and
oysters to lobster and shrimp. For regulatory purposes it is often narrowly
defined as filter-feeding molluscs
such as clams, mussels, and oyster to the exclusion of crustaceans
and all else.[6]
Although the term is primarily
applied to marine species, edible freshwater
invertebrates such as crayfish and river mussels
are also sometimes grouped under the umbrella of "shellfish".
Although their shells may differ,
all shellfish are invertebrates. As non-mammalian animals that spend their
entire lives in water they are "fish" in the logical sense; however
the denotion finfish (or finnicle fish) has been developed to
distinguish fish
as animals defined by having vertebrae
from shellfish in modern terminology.
The word "shellfish" is
both singular and plural; the rarely used "shellfishes" is sometimes
employed to distinguish among various types of shellfish.[7]
Shellfish
in various cuisines
Archaeological finds has shown that
humans have been making use of shellfish as a food item for hundreds of
thousands of years. In the present, shellfish dishes are a feature of almost
all the cuisines
of the world, providing an important source of protein in many cuisines around
the world, especially in the countries with coastal areas.
In
Japan
In the Japanese cuisine, chefs often use shellfish and their roe in different dishes. Sushi (vinegared rice, topped with other
ingredients, including shellfish, fish, meat and vegetables), feature both raw
and cooked shellfish. Sashimi primarily consists of very fresh raw seafood, sliced into
thin pieces. Both sushi and sashimi are served with soy sauce and wasabi paste (a Japanese horseradish
root, a spice with extremely strong hot flavor), thinly-sliced pickled ginger
root, and a simple garnish such as shiso
(a kitchen herb, member of the mint family) or finely shredded daikon
radish, or both.
In
the United States
Lobster in particular is a great delicacy in the United States,
where families in the Northeast region make them into the centerpiece of a clam bake, usually for special occasions. Lobsters are eaten on much
of the East Coast; the American lobster ranges from Newfoundland down to about the Carolinas,
but is most often associated with Maine. A typical meal involves boiling
the lobster with some slight seasoning and then serving it with drawn butter, baked potato,
and corn on the cob.
Clamming is done both commercially and recreationally along the
Northeast coastline of the US. Various type of clams are incorporated into the cuisine of New England. The soft-shelled clam is eaten either fried
or steamed (and then called "steamers").
Many types of clams can be used for clam chowder,
but the quahog,
a hard shelled clam also known as a chowder clam, is often used because the
long cooking time softens its tougher meat.
The Chesapeake Bay
and Maryland
region has generally been associated more with crabs, but in recent years the
area has been trying to reduce its catch of blue crabs, as wild populations have been depleted. This has not,
however, stemmed the demand: Maryland-style crabcakes
are still a well known treat in crabhouses all over the bay, though the catch
now comes from points farther south.[citation needed]
In the Southeast, and particularly the gulf states, shrimping
is an important industry. Copious amounts of shrimp are harvested each year in
the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean
to satisfy a national demand for shrimp. Locally, prawns and shrimp are often
deep fried; in the Cajun and Creole kitchens of Louisiana,
shrimp and prawns are a common addition to traditional recipes like jambalaya
and certain stews. Crawfish[8]
are a well known and much eaten delicacy here, often boiled in huge pots and
heavily spiced.
In many major cities with active
fishing ports, raw oyster bars are also a feature of shellfish consumption.
When served freshly shucked (opened) and iced, one may find a liquid inside the
shell, called the liqueur. Some believe that oysters have the properties of an aphrodisiac.[citation needed]
Inter-tidal herbivorous shellfish
such as mussels and clams can help people reach a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in their diets, instead of the current Western diets.[9]
For this reason, the eating of shellfish is often encouraged by dietitians.
Shellfish, however, are a rich source of the amino acid taurine.
Around
the world
Shellfish is a common part of
indigenous cuisines throughout the globe.
Some popular dishes using shellfish:
- Ceviche
- Cioppino
- Callaloo
- Clam chowder
- Curanto
- Fruits de mer
- Paella
- Sashimi
- Shrimp cocktail
- Lobster
bisque
- She-crab soup
- Sliced fish soup
- Sushi
Religious
dietary restrictions
The Jewish
laws of Kashrut
forbid the eating of shellfish. The book of Leviticus
prohibits the consumption of shellfish.[10]
Heavy
metal content
Arsenic is present in shellfish. A sample of whelks was found to have a total content
of arsenic at 15.42 mg/kg of which 1% is inorganic arsenic.[11]
The entire wiki link on the subject can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellfish
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