Getting your children into shellfish is a rewarding but challenging task. As well as being healthy and flavoursome, shellfish recipes are the keystone of a wide variety of culinary cultures and tastes around the world.
That’s why we’re posting three simple, family-friendly shellfish recipes that are ideal for children and picky eaters. See us at the harbour for your shellfish and give it a go today.
Super-Healthy Crab Cakes
Family-friendly crab cakes use fresh crab meat and mashed potatoes to create a meaty, zingy, child-pleasing meal, ideal with potatoes and peas or salad.
Ingredients
- 180g crab meat (picked through for shell)
- 1 large potato
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Breadcrumbs for coating (optional)
Instructions
- Chop, boil and mash the potato and beat the egg, then mix them together with the crab meat, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Shape the mixture into small, palm-sized burger patties or go bite-sized for little ones.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.
- Fun dips: Serve with lemon-mayo aioli, or a mild tartar sauce.
Donegal Lobster Roll
Our writer recently moved to Donegal, where he and his daughter loved these local delights. They’re served from a cute red caravan above the Slieve League cliffs, one of the greatest sights and family days out in Ireland (and the world). Try this recipe to find out why this gorgeous grub lives up to the location.
The Slieve League in County Donegal, Ireland – Home of Donegal Lobster Rolls
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 500g cooked lobster meat (tail and claw, in bite-sized chunks)
- 4 heaped tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons celery
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 4 soft brioche rolls
- 4 teaspoons soft butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take your prepped and cooked lobster, crack the shell, and extract the meat from the tails and claws. Chop into generous, bite-sized chunks.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, finely chopped celery and parsley, salt and pepper. Then, gently fold in the lobster meat. Get it coated, but don’t over-mix, and leave to cool.
- Slice the brioche rolls and butter the outsides. Then, place in a hot frying pan over a medium heat until golden brown and crisp.
- Generously stuff the warm rolls with the chilled lobster mixture and serve immediately.
Mussel, Tomato and Bean Spaghetti
If there are two healthy foods children love, it’s beans and spaghetti in tomato sauce. Combine them both with mussels and a bit of extra flavour for the perfect kids’ shellfish dish.
This is the child / family-friendly version of a recipe from the Marine Stewardship Council. Try the grown-up version here – with wine and a pinch of chilli!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped.
- 300g tinned cherry tomatoes
- 350g spaghetti
- 200g cannellini beans
- 350g mussels, cleaned
- 2 tbsp tarragon leaves
- Salt & pepper to taste
Method
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until softened.
- Add the cherry tomatoes with their juices, stir, and turn the hob up to medium for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- Boil the spaghetti until cooked but firm (al dente). Then drain, keeping 150ml of the water.
- Add the beans to the tomato mix. Reduce for 5 minutes, then add the mussels and pasta water. Cook until the mussels open (discard any that don’t).
- Stir in the pasta and tarragon, then season with salt and pepper. Divide into bowls and serve.
Enjoy!
We hope your shoal of little ones enjoy our family-friendly shellfish recipes! Let us know how they went down in the comments.