The Delights of Scottish Shellfish

Scotland is world-renowned for its high quality shellfish. The clean, clear Scottish waters produce some of the finest mussels, oysters and scallops in the world, prized by the best chefs and home cooks. This renewable food source is farmed in an eco-friendly and sustainable way and is renowned around the world for its flavour and freshness.

Mussels

Mussels are one of the easiest shellfish to cook, and one of the most delicious. The majority of mussels on the market today are farmed, not wild, the farms being nothing less than giant floating rafts, where mussels attach themselves to ropes under the water.

Scottish seawater is very nutrient rich and this serves to produce very succulent and tasty mussels, that still retain their flavour even when served with strong-flavoured sauces. And because Scottish mussels are rope grown, they are grit-free.

Cooking Mussels

Cooking mussels is a simple process. Although they can be baked, fried and grilled, the most common method is steaming. The most celebrated mussel dish is the French classic "moules marinieres" where the mussels are steamed in a delicious mix of white wine, garlic, shallots, butter, cream and parsley and served with a reduced wine and garlic sauce and crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

However, the versatile mussel is cooked in a variety of sauces and ways. They are a good addition to Spanish paella and Italian risotto, and also popular served in a rich, spicy tomato sauce or with Asian ingredients such as chilli, ginger, coconut and ginger.

Oysters

Oysters were once one of the most popular foods in the 1800s, so much so that they were almost extinct, became an endangered species, and hence, were protected by Law. Since then, their rarity has guaranteed they are now a luxury food.

Pacific oysters do not breed in the cold Scottish waters, so oyster farms can produce them all year round, making for a very profitable and thriving industry.

Scottish oyster farms are situated in sea lochs and remote areas far from industry and shipping routes. This ensures that the oysters are imbued with the freshness and clarity of the water, which adds to their distinct flavour, and makes them a favourite with chefs around the globe.

Eating Oysters

Many seasoned oyster eaters sneer at those who cook oysters, as they say oysters should always be eaten raw, chilled and with little or no dressing. The idea is not to chew, but let it slide down the throat in one go. There is a strong taste of the sea, which some say is followed by a feeling of well being, perhaps due to the high vitamin and mineral content.

Purists aside, oysters are still delicious when cooked, and are very versatile, as they can be cooked in many ways.

Scallops

There are two kinds of Scottish scallops, king and queen, the most obvious difference being their size. Scallops are very sweet and tender, but cooking them is an art. They cook very quickly and should be either pan fried or grilled so that they are very lightly seared. They should be crisp on the outside and soft and almost creamy on the inside.

There is a lot of controversy over how scallops are fished. Before the advent of commercial fishing, scallops were fished by raking or dredging the seabed from small boats. Now, large fishing boats drag huge dredges and nets which all but destroy the seabed. This is of more concern in waters that contain rare species or an abundance of marine life, as it has great impact on the ecosystem.

Scallop Farming

Many Scottish scallops are farmed. They are cultivated in baskets for around two years. After this time, the queen scallops are harvested. But, because of their longer lifespan and lifestyle, the king scallops are returned to the seabed for another 2-3 years where they continue to mature. Divers then retrieve them.

Hand-dived scallops are more highly prized than dredged scallops. When scallops are dredged, there is so much disturbance that they collect sand. Hand-dived scallops are almost grit free.

Superior Shellfish

A lot of the world's shellfish is farmed in warm climates, where the shellfish grow bigger and faster. However, the colder, nutrient rich waters around Scotland produce shellfish that have a much deeper, richer taste than their southern counterparts. The reputation of Scotland's delicious, natural product is such that, around 80% of Scottish farmed shellfish is exported, making it the envy of the world.

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