          
          
          
                      Cleaning and Shucking Shellfish
          
               Several forms of shellfish, including such favorites 
          as crabs, scallops, lobsters, shrimp, and periwinkles may 
          be purchased live in the shell.  They will need to be 
          cleaned or shucked.  In most cases the only tool you'll 
          need is a knife or kitchen shears.    To clean crabs, the 
          first step is to turn the crab upside down and grasp the 
          legs on one side with one hand.  With your other hand, lift 
          the flap and pull back and down to remove the top shell.  
          Now turn the crab right side up and remove the intestines 
          and gills.  Pull the claws and legs off and remove any meat 
          that clings to the claws.  Remove the meat from the top of 
          the inner skeleton with your knife.  Remove the meat on the 
          back of the crab with a slicing, digging motion of your 
          knife.  You can remove the meat from any pockets with the 
          point of your knife.  Finally, crack the claw shell and 
          remove the meat there.
          
               To shuck oysters, you will need an oyster knife and a 
          pair of gloves.  An oyster knife has a strong wedge-shaped 
          blade that is designed to withstand the force necessary to 
          open oysters.  The first step is to rinse the oyster.  Then 
          grasp the oyster with one hand, holding the hinged side 
          toward your other hand.  Look for the small crevice that is 
          situated at the hinge.  Slip the oyster knife into this 
          crevice and twist, cutting the hinge.  After the hinge is 
          broken, slide the knife along the shell and sever the 
          abductor muscle.  Now remove the top shell. Carefully slip 
          the knife under the oyster and cut the muscle from the 
          bottom shell.  Clean away any shell particles or other 
          debris.  For very large oysters it may be necessary first 
          to break the thin end of the shell with a hammer to make an 
          opening for the knife. After this is done, follow the 
          previous procedure.
          
               To shuck a scallop, grasp it so that the shell's hinge 
          rest against your palm.  Slip a thin, strong knife inside 
          the shell near the hinge and twist.  Be careful not to 
          force the shell open, for this will tear the muscle.  Lift 
          the top side of the shell and cut the muscle from the top 
          shell.  After removing the top shell, clean out the viscera 
          by gripping the scallop between your thumb and knife blade 
          and pulling.  Everything but the edible white scallop meat 
          should be removed.  Cut the muscle from the remaining shell 
          and wash the meat in cold water.
          
               To clean boiled lobster or prepare green lobster for 
          baking use the following instructions.  First, lay the 
          lobster on its back.  Using a sharp knife, cut the lobster 
          in half lengthwise.  Next remove the stomach, being sure to 
          also remove the intestinal vein which runs from the stomach 
          to the tail.  Clean the body cavity thoroughly by rinsing 
          with cold water.  The green lobster is now ready for 
          baking. If the lobster is boiled and you need to remove the 
          meat from the shell, take a sharp knife and loosen the meat 
          from the edges of the shell.  Use a fork to get hold of the 
          meat at the tail, then remove it by lifting upward and 
          pulling the meat toward the head, away from the shell.
          
               To clean shrimp for simmering, hold the tail section 
          in one hand while positioning the swimmerettes down toward 
          the palm of your hand.  Insert one blade of kitchen shears 
          into the sand vein opening, and cut through the shell along 
          the outer curve to the end of the tail.  Remove the meat by 
          pulling the sides of the shell apart.  Clean thoroughly in 
          cold water.
          
               Cleaning shrimp for broiling is a slightly different 
          process.  First, place the shrimp on a cutting board with 
          the swimmerettes exposed.  Using a sharp knife, cut between 
          the swimmerettes through the meat to the shell.  Spread the 
          shell until it lies flat, and wash thoroughly in cold 
          water.
          
               To remove the meat of periwinkles, steam or boil them 
          in salted water until they begin to emerge from their 
          shells.  Now, with a lobster pick or similar, pointed 
          object, pry out the meat.  Their operculum, the clear trap 
          door, is not edible and if it did not fall off during 
          steaming, should be removed.  The periwinkles may be eaten 
          right after boiling.
          
          
