Know your shellfish

BLUE SWIMMER CRAB

Also called sand crab, blue swimmers are harvested from the wild. You’ll find them year-round, with peak supply from November to April. They are not sold live – buy them raw or already cooked – and their average weight is 300g–400g, yielding around 100g of meat. The males’ shells are bright blue uncooked; females’ shells are mottled brown. Both turn bright orange when cooked.

LOBSTER

Also called rock lobster or crayfish, worldwide there are around 45 species; the size depends on type. They’re wild-caught and at their best purchased live, as the flesh (mostly in the tail) deteriorates quickly. When cooking whole fresh lobster in boiling water it’s best to slightly undercook, as the flesh will keep cooking once removed. For convenience, try frozen tails.