A diversionary response to the last shellfish enquiry.
For those of you who work on limpets you may like to know that Dr Smith and
myself gently sauteed some limpets in garlic butter, whilst up in the Hebrides
last week, as part of our exploration of archaeological foods. The upper body
was not that tasty but the muscular foot was fine, a bit like squid rubbery and
fishy. We first poached them out of their shells and then sizzled them in
butter.
On close questioning the locals admitted that they often consumed them in the
past and actually quite liked them. I have also heard rumours (via a student)
that Ray Mears alluded to them as the shellfish he would eat if trapped without
food on a rocky shore - something to do with the nutrients they contained. Did
anyone else see that show?
No doubt we will be publishing some limpet recipes with Rick Stein soon.
jacqui
Jacqui Mulville
Lecturer in Bioarchaeology
School of History and Archaeology
Cardiff University
Cardiff
CF10 3XU
02920 874247
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