Out of Their Shells

Your first encounter with mussels may well have been in a French bouillabaisse or Spanish paella with the mussels served in their shells. Perhaps you have had a longer acquaintance with scallops, just plain breaded and fried or in elegant Coquilles Saint-Jacques. All of these glorious flavors should be enough incentive for venturing into closer encounters with these two popular mollusks.

Here is a get-acquainted briefing about the two seafood stars and a recipe for each.

Mussels come in bluish black, hinged, oblong shells. The cooked meat ranges in color from orange to tan and is mildly to moderately flavored. Most of those marketed in the U.S. are farm raised and tend to be plumper and milder tasting than those harvested from the wilds of the sea.

To buy: Purchase mussels live in the shell or fresh shucked or canned. For fresh mussels, look for tightly closed shells that are moist, intact, and not chipped. If any shells are open, tap them lightly. If the mussels are alive, the shells should close. They should not have a strong odor but should smell like the sea. Select plump mussels in clear liquid.

To store: Refrigerate live mussels covered with a moist cloth in an open container, for up to 5 days. Before cooking, discard any that aren't alive.Refrigerate shucked mussels covered in their juice for up to 3 days. Or freeze shucked mussels, covered with their liquor, for up to 3 months.

To clean: Scrub shells with a stiff brush under cold water. Pull off the beard visible between the two shells. (Do the de-bearding just before cooking because mussels will die when debearded.)

To cook: Steam and serve dipped in melted butter, fry, bake, or use in soups and stews.

The scallop's "propeller" is the firm, sweet, low-fat, edible part of the shellfish. This large muscle opens and closes the shell and propels the animal through the water.

Three types of scallops are available in the United States. Sea scallops are the largest, followed by bay scallops, then calico scallops. The meat can be creamy white, tan, or creamy pink. Usually the scallops are shucked right after they are harvested and most are sold fresh. Some are frozen; some are breaded and frozen.

To buy: Scallops should be firm, free of excess cloudy liquid, and sweet smelling. If their aroma is strong and sulfuric, they are spoiled.

To store: Refrigerate shucked scallops covered with their own liquid in a closed container for up to 2 days.

To cook: Broil, panfry, deep-fry, poach, grill, or stir-fry scallops. Use in soups, stews, salads, and sauces.