Best of... shellfish dishes

The collective term 'shellfish' is actually a misnomer: the correct expression is – the less catchy – 'aquatic invertebrates', which includes molluscs: clams, mussels, oysters and scallops; crustaceans: crayfish, crabs, lobster, prawns and shrimps; and (generally) cephalopods: cuttlefish, octopus and squid.

Some people have extreme reactions to shellfish, and we're not just talking allergies (if you are allergic, we sympathise; try these gorgeous chicken recipes or Simon Rimmer's best vegetarian dishes instead). They can't understand why anyone would want to eat – as one perturbed friend put it –  'something that crawls along the sea floor'. Certain religions have banned shellfish, and there are types of shellfish that feed on waste, or absorb potentially dangerous toxins that can be passed to humans.

But unless your beliefs prevent you eating it, don't miss out; hordes of people love the low-fat, protein-rich hit shellfish provides, not to mention the taste. And shellfish provides many vitamins and minerals essential to human health.

Read on and savour; trust us, these shellfish recipes will have you badgering your fishmonger in no time.

This easy recipe for wild leaves is adapted from Sunday Suppers At Lucques, by Suzanne Goin. Make it as a reward for a hard day's foraging.

Many people think that making a risotto is laborious and time-consuming, but generally speaking, it takes about 20 minutes from adding the first ladleful of stock. Fresh crab is in season and you can pick it up from the supermarket.

Use our basic pasta dough recipe by Kate Belcher to make this wonderful crayfish and saffron dish.

Give everyone bruschetta with this meal and be over-generous with the olive oil. The last hunks of the oily bread can mop up the dark rich gravy.

This combination is not as odd as it sounds – the floral notes of strawberries and pineapples work well together with langoustines (which are increasingly known as Dublin Bay prawns).

This special grilled lobster thermidor is a lot easier to prepare than you might think, and the sauce is lighter than the usual rich cheesy one.

You can really taste the sea in this Italian dish of fritto misto di mare made with squid, scallops and raw prawns.

A rustic yet sophisticated seafood stew that will be a winner with both family and dinner party guests.

What used to be an inexpensive nibble, oysters and stout, is now a bit of a luxury. And it's something of a traditional combination in Ireland.

Laksa is a spicy paste made from garlic, lemongrass, chilli and almonds. Use it to make this exciting Asian noodle soup with a real kick.

Potting was a popular way of preserving food before the advent of refridgeration, the shrimps are cooked in butter, cooled and put in pots with a layer of melted butter to seal. This recipe for potted shrimps with pickled cucumber uses brown shrimps, which absorb more butter than their pink cousins.

This is one of those amazing Thai stir-fries that is short on ingredients but long on taste. This is devilishly quick to make so have everything ready to go. Don’t you just love cooking like a TV chef?