Shrimp

Shrimp is a very special food, but most of us take it for granted.  All shrimp is not created equally, not by a long-shot! There are several hundred shrimp species, and we’re very lucky to have some of the best tasting in the bays and seas surrounding North America.

Please keep in mind, shrimping and market conditions are always changing, shrimp are a seasonal item and seasons and sources can vary with every season.  We’re constantly shopping for the best shrimp available each season and for new opportunities and sources – so we cannot have all these different shrimp available at all times. We always purchase the finest shrimp of the season, and availability and supplies on hand will constantly vary – but that’s just part of the fun!

Mussels

There are two common varieties, the Blue Mussel and the Green Mussel. The Blue mussel thrives in cooler waters on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, but the finest are said to come from Canada’s Prince Edward Island. Commonly called black mussels (since they are more black than blue), they’re available live in local seafood markets much of the year.

Green Mussels, commonly called Green Lipped Mussels, come from New Zealand and are almost twice the size of black mussels. They’re readily available frozen on the half shell, but can also be found live now and again. Meaty and delicious, even frozen Green mussels are easy to fall in love with.

Ideally, mussels should be closed, but with the stress of travel they often arrive partially open and are just fine. If you have any doubts, give them a sniff – they should boast the briny scent of the sea. Live mussels need to breathe, place them in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth and store in the refrigerator. When it’s time to cook, scrub them with a pot scrubber and remove the tuft of threads (beard) with a firm tug and they’re ready to cook. Mussels can also be perked up as they clean themselves by soaking in sea-salted water like clams.Mussels are delicious steamed or simmered in soups or sauces, when they open wide, they’re ready to eat. Thawed mussels on the half shell are cooked and need only to be warmed in a sauce, a soup, or under the broiler.

Clams

There are at least 8 varieties of clams available in this country, but you’ll rarely be able to find more than one or two varieties at any given time. The most popular are hard shell Quahog (pronounced Ko-Hog) clams from the Atlantic. The smallest Quahogs are called ‘Littlenecks’ and are 1.5 – 2.25 inches across. With their tender meat and briny juice, they’re prized for steaming and eating raw. Medium sized Quahogs (2.25-3 inches across) are called Cherrystones. While they’re also delicious steamed, their size also makes them perfect for stuffing.

Less common locally are Atlantic soft shell clams (also called steamers, fryers and long-necks) and razor clams, whose shell looks like an old fashion razor. Both of these have open shells that do not close thanks to a protruding siphon or foot.

From the other coast we sometimes see Pacific Littlenecks (not quite as tender as Atlantic littlenecks), and Manila clams (a.k.a. Japanese clams). Manila clams are not native to our Pacific coast, but have rapidly become one of the most important Pacific coast species thanks to their wonderful texture and flavor.

Choosing Clams

Generally with hard shell species, the smaller the clam, the more tender, flavorful, and expensive it will be. But medium sized clams can be quite delicious! All hard shell clams should be closed, or close with a gentle tap before buying and cooking.

Soft Shell Species, or those with a protruding foot, will not have closed shells, but should be moving or react to touch.

Preparing Clams

Clams live in the sand, so getting rid of the grit is job one. Dissolve 1/4 cup of fine sea salt (Kosher salt will work in a pinch) into each quart of cool water. Soak the clams until water looks dirty (stirring from time to time), brush clean and put back into clean salted water. Repeat if needed.

Both soft and hard shell clams are excellent steamed or simmered in sauces or soups, and most can be shucked and eaten raw or fried. Cook until the shells are gaping wide open and serve immediately. Clams take quite a bit longer to open than mussels, and the larger they are the longer they take to cook. Discard any clams that do not open, they are probably dead and sometimes filled with mud and yuck.

Salmon

Fishing for salmon with Dennis was a once in a lifetime trip – and it’s impossible to appreciate how much goes into catching and delivering the finest and freshest salmon in the world to Tony’s, and the dangers the fishermen face everyday.  These fishermen are a tough breed, and I’ll always appreciate every single bite of Copper River salmon with mindfulness and awe.

Scallops

Scallops are the adductor muscle of bi-valves, which squeezes the shells together to jet propel them through the water. There are three types of scallops eaten in the USA: Sea, Bay and Calico.

Sea Scallops are relatively large and ideal for pan searing or grilling.

Bay Scallops are smaller and harvested in shallower bays rather than the deep ocean, wonderfully sweet, they are ideal for stir fries, risotto and in pasta dishes. Most frozen bay scallops are farm raised in China and treated with chemicals, not recommended. We most commonly stock Diver Bay Scallops from the Sea of Cortez, in season (hand caught in nets by divers).

Other Scallop Terms

Day Boat Scallops:  Many boats go out for several days at a time to harvest scallops in deeper waters, but Day Boat Scallops come from boats that only go out one day at a time, making them the fresher option.  We always buy Day Boat Scallops at Tony’s.

Diver Scallops: This is not a type of scallop; rather it’s a sustainable harvesting method where divers scoop them up with nets.

Wet Scallops: ‘Wet’ scallops are treated with STP (Sodium Tripolyphosphate) a chemical
preservative that also acts to soak up copious amounts of water, increasing scallop
weight and size considerably. Unfortunately all this added water means they scallops just don’t cook right and truly pale in comparison to dry scallopsIf you see scallops that are overly white and plump with a mild scent and a lot of milky liquid in the pan, they’re most likely treated with STP.  Frozen scallops are also commonly treated with STP, look at the label to see what chemicals have been added.  “Scallop product water added” or “X% Water Added Scallop Product” must be added to the label of scallops with more than 80% water content – but they aren’t always sold in packages.  STP is a terribly common seafood additive that we work hard to avoid.

Dry Scallops: Untreated scallops in their natural state and the only scallops to consider in
my opinion.  They cook and taste much better, but do have a stronger scent right from the shell.

Characteristics

Color: Quality sea scallops range from a creamy beige to light blond color. Some females can have an orange to pink hue, which does not affect taste (and they turn white when cooked).  Bay scallops are generally lighter and whiter.  Avoid bright white sea scallops, a sign of treating with STP.

Odor: Fresh scallops do have a stronger odor than other seafood, but it dissipates when cooked. Treated scallops have a much milder odor thanks to the preservative and added water

Sizes: Sea scallops are packed by count, with the largest scallops costing the most.  A designation of “20/30 Count” means there are between 20 and 30 per pound.  U/10 is the largest size, meaning there are less than 10 per pound.  Bay Scallops are commonly from 40 to 90 per pound, but they’re sometimes smaller.

Nutrition: Scallops are a lean and healthy – a 3.5 oz. serving of untreated sea scallops has about 88 calories, 0.8 g fat and 17 grams of protein.  Bay scallops offer about 80 calories, 0.6 g fat and 15 G of protein.

Cooking Scallops

Sea Scallops: Big and thick, they’re perfect for pan searing or grilling.  They cook very quickly and are at their best with a nice brown crust and a lightly cooked interior.  Don’t be fooled, even though they are thick, they are very lean so they cook quickly and can toughen if overcooked.

For searing, start a large, heavy skillet (the bigger and heavier the better, more metal holds more heat for better browning – on the grill, a heavy cooking grate works much better than wire grates).  Preheat pan or grill with medium high heat to about 400°.  Season or marinate scallops
as desired.  Add a drizzle of oil and when very hot, sear 1-3 minutes per side.

Bay Scallops:  Too small to sear consistently, so they’re better quickly stir-fried over very high heat, or simmered in pasta sauces.  A sweet marinade, such as teriyaki sauce, helps them brown much more quickly.  Total cooking time is usually 1-5 minutes depending on conditions.