I Love Whelks. Yes, I know they're rubbery, and look like your worst nightmare, but they are delicious.
The ones above were bought ready cooked, but they are also readily available here live. I once made the mistake of buying live Whelks, thinking they were cooked; not so difficult, as they look much the same. They were a bugger to get out of their shells, were unbelievably chewy, and they didn't really have the flavour I'd expected. I munched my way through several, probably screaming, Whelks before I realised my mistake. Oh how we laughed!!!
Nowadays I always make sure they're ready cooked.
I'm thinking that perhaps you should name one of them "Lawrence"....
ReplyDeleteI admire your culinary adaptability! At least whelks have the good grace to live in a shell - with most other seafood if you saw it wobbling across your living room floor you'd probably be inclined to hit it with a rolled-up newspaper rather than eat it.
ReplyDeleteI eat everything, other than Bread-n-Butter Pudding.
DeleteI love a good whelk (does that sound rude) do you live near the coast? I should like to know what whelk is in French does it make them sound better than they look?
ReplyDeleteBulot... not much better. And Boulot (which sounds the same) is slang-ish for 'work' (as in job).
DeleteI have never tasted a whelks, cooked or otherwise. Not so sure I would want to, but they do have lovely shells.
ReplyDeleteMy father - being an old East Ender - would often treat himself to a plate of winkles (at least that's what he called them) and sit there pulling them out with a pin whilst us kids looked on in horror. I learnt to like oysters, though - just so long as they keep still just before I eat them.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried them, but I love mussels and winkles, so I would like to sample them. Are they eeaten warm? I wouldnt fancy them so much cold. Are these the things you see in tubs of jelly?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds more like jellied eels; another of my favourites. Whelks are usually eaten cold, with vinegar and freshly ground pepper. Rick Stein has one or two recipes for cooking with them.
DeleteAm now wondering if you eat other animals whilst they're still alive. (Jellied eels. Omigawd, Cro.)
ReplyDeleteIf I were a mermaid I would eat that. But I'm not.
ReplyDeleteIf i recall correctly, you can't abide 'that anathema, peanut butter' of which Lady M was so fond (and may still be).
ReplyDeleteI've never had whelks. I've had escargots which i'm sure are similar, and when i was in college, i ate what we called periwinkles which are probably very much like winkles. We were hungry and had no money. Not a fan, i must say, although i've enjoyed mussels from time to time.
Peanut Butter AND JELLY Megan. Peanut butter or jelly by themselves; OK. Together NASTY.
DeleteDown under they smoke their eels rather than jelly them.
ReplyDeleteMore good advice from you, Cro. Make sure they have been cooked...
ReplyDeleteThey sure do look nice on that wonderful red plate...
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