Preparing Crustaceans

It is vitally important that shellfish are very fresh as they deteriorate quickly. Shellfish should really smell of the sea and still feel springy within the shell – not limp, which is an indication of staleness. If you buy cooked prawns it is best to buy them in their shell – the shells are, in any case, valuable for making excellent stock or for sauce Nantua. When you are able to buy large prawns and cook them yourself, it is worth the expense because the taste and texture are wonderful. Uncooked prawns and the smaller shrimps look grey when you buy them raw but they become pink when cooked, although the tiny, delectable Morecombe Bay shrimps are brown.