Limpets

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About Limpets
The limpet is a mollusk and it is a member of Acmaeidae family. The limpets can be found throughout  littoral zones and they are usually found on rocks near seas or oceans. The limpets have a flat shell and they stick on the rocks by using a muscular foot which allows them to remain attached on rocks if a big wave comes. They eat by using their radula which is an organ similar to a tongue with rows of teeth. Limpets feed on algae and other vegetative organisms. Limpets’ size can vary from eight centimeters to twenty centimeters. There are numerous species of limpets and they have mostly the same features. The most common species are true limpets, finger limpets, white cap limpet and Lottia gigantia. Limpets’ colors vary from white to brown but there are species which have a sandy color. Limpets are usually captured by bigger fishes when they are taken by a wave or by shore birds. They generally live a long life approximately ten years. Limpets, unlike conches have no operculum to defend their soft bodies consequently they stick firmly to the rocks at low tide to keep from drying out.

Preparing Limpets
Getting these off the rocks to begin with seems to trouble most people. I simply use a flat stone, about palm sized, and strike the limpet at the base, close to the join with the rock. Aim to give it one quick hard whack, otherwise it will suck on and will become more difficult to dislodge. Do not hit them more than once, you will probably damage the shell and waste the limpet, so sneak up on them.

I place all of my shellfish in a bucket of clean highly salted water which promotes the regurjitation of grit/sand they may have swallowed. If I have bivalves, such as mussels in the bucket I will add some oats as food to ensure they remain alive. Leave them overnight/24 hours ideally in this water possibly changing it if there seems to be lots of sand expelled. DO NOT ADD FLOUR TO THE WATER, this was a trick by restaurants to feed shellfish to keep them alive for longer, but filter feeders will them contain raw flour, which is not good for the digestion and was often mistaken for food poisoning.

They are now ready to cook, and must be cooked whilst alive, same as other shellfish/crustaceans.

Cooking Limpets
I simply place them into a pan of lightly boiling water. They are ready once the meat starts to come out of the shells. You then need to remove the head, by pinching it bewteeen thumb and index finger twisting and pulling. Thypically the black guts sack and the head are discarged/used for bait/fed to animals/birds.

Limpets make a useful addition to seafood dishes, although the chewy texture is not always appreciated. I tend to blend them into a chowder base.

You can add the uncooked limpets in their shells to stew type dishes directly to cook, but you will have to fish them out to remove the heads/guts.

Storing Limpets
All shellfish is best cooked fresh once purged. They need to be cooked whilst alive to prevent unwelcome affects.

Once cooked they should be used straight away, alternativley they can be pickled in vinegar simliar to other shellfish.

Limpets Nutrition

 * Limpets Nutrient Charts

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