Concept in Definition ABC

Crustaceans, mollusks, and some echinoderns are marine animals that do not have vertebrae. In the field of gastronomy the term shellfish is used to refer to all the species that make up these groups.

As for the seafood name, it comes from Latin and literally means "belonging to the sea". In other languages, words are used that explicitly indicate that the seafood is edible (in French, fruits de mer and in English, seafood).

In many countries they are consumed especially at Christmas

During Christmas celebrations it is common to prepare special dishes and seafood is one of the food most valued. Experts advise consuming them fresh, but they can also be frozen. Some of the most popular species are the following: barnacle, lobster, prawn, crab, spider crab, prawn, Norway lobster, clam or mussel.

From a gastronomic point of view they can be prepared both grilled and cooked.

A brief classification and some guidelines to follow for its preparation

Those that have a shell, such as cockles, mussels, clams or oysters. In another group are prawns and prawns. There is a third group that is not always included in the

category seafood, such as cuttlefish and squid.

For its cooking process, some guidelines must be respected that guarantee the conservation of its nutritional properties and its flavor. In this sense, cooking is the best way to prepare it. Thus, it is recommended to heat the water with salt over high heat and when it boils, put the shellfish in the container, letting it cook for a few minutes. Then, the container is removed from the heat and the shellfish is removed.

Finally, the seafood is submerged in a bowl of cold water. With this procedure the texture and their nutrients.

A traditionally expensive product

Although there is a wide variety of seafood, it is a food with a normally high price. This is due to several factors: when eating raw the controls of quality They are very high, it is a sector that depends on the weather conditions and the fishing authorities impose restrictions on shellfish. Naturally, these circumstances affect the final price paid by the consumer.

Health benefits and risks

From a strictly nutritional point of view, seafood is a very healthy food. Has protein, vitamins A and B and minerals such as phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc and iodine.

As it is a particularly perishable food, it also has some risks. Therefore, if it is not consumed immediately, it is preferable to buy it cooked, frozen or packaged. If consumed fresh, they should be kept in suitable containers to avoid dripping and placed in the lower part of the refrigerator.

Photo Fotolia: Aleksey Stemmer

Seafood Topics