2. Cockles
Though not as unusual as some other species on this list, cockles are still a rare delight. These tiny bivalve mollusks, members of the Cardiidae family, spend their lives laying on sandy beaches around the world. No wonder they taste so relaxed.
Unlike many bivalves, they are purely sweet and tender, with little brininess. It’s a clean and lingering taste, well worth the effort to pry the flesh out of the sturdy shell. And this thick shell keeps them fresh and alive for two weeks compared to just a few days for littlenecks. New Zealand is king when it comes to cultivating these treats, having farmed them for over a decade.
Think Spaghetti Vongole, or perhaps tossed through some scrambled eggs, steamed in an Asian broth with rice noodles, or swimming in an herby wine broth that surrounds a fish filet, their shells wide open offering up its gift to the diner.
Nathan Outlaw brings out their shine, adding a nice salty touch of seaweed for balance. This recipe was featured in the Telegraph.
Cockle and Seaweed Risotto (serves 4)
Ingredients
- 1kg live cockles
- 150g granary or sourdough bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces
- 50ml light olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
- 1 litre vegetable or fish stock
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 large white onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, tough outer layer removed, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled, halved and finely chopped
- 240g carnaroli risotto rice
- 50ml white wine vinegar
- 100ml dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons dried seaweed flakes, plus an extra 1 tsp to garnish
- 100g Parmesan, grated
- 8 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- A handful of tarragon, leaves, chopped
- A handful of dill, chopped
- Grated zest of 1 lime
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 185°C/Gas 6. Put the bread on an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Meanwhile, bring the stock to a steady simmer in a saucepan over a low heat.
- Place another large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter starts to bubble, add the onion, fennel and garlic and cook for 3 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Tip the crisp bread pieces onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain; set aside.
- Pour the wine vinegar and wine into the rice pan and cook, stirring, until reduced right down to almost nothing, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 tbsp dried seaweed. Now add the stock, a ladleful at a time and cook, stirring slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon, for 12 minutes. Allow each ladleful of stock to be fully absorbed before you add the next.
- Add the cockles along with another ladleful of stock and cook for2 minutes, or until the cockles start to open. Immediately add the grated Parmesan, spring onions and chopped herbs, turn off the heat and give a gentle stir.
- Divide between four plates. Scatter over the crisp bread pieces and lime zest, and finish with a sprinkling of seaweed. Serve immediately.
Nathan Outlaw’s Everyday Seafood is published by Quadrille, £20, available from Telegraph Books
