Shellfish	Specific Taste	Texture	Color	Cooking Methods
Shrimp	Sweet, mild	Medium firm	Off-white to pink	Broil, sautée, grill, steam
Clams	Mild, sweet, briny	Firm, resilient	Ivory	Fry, steam, stuff, fritters, in soups, chowders
King Crab	Distinctively sweet	Succulent to tender	White with red or orange tinges	Pre-cooked steam to re-heat or cold
Snow Crab	Delicate, sweet	Tender and moist	White	Pre-cooked; steam to re-heat or cold
Soft-Shell Crab	Sweet, rich, full	Tender, resilient	White	Broil, grill, deep-fry, any dish calling for crab meat
Imitation Crab	Sweet	Extremely tender	Very white, red tinges	Pre-cooked; salads, soups, dips
Scallops	Sweet	Elastic, firm	White, slight pink-orange tinges	Bake, broil, fry, sautée
Oysters	Pronounced briny (can vary with sze and origin)	Firm, resilient	Silvery to tan	Fry, bake, broil, in soups, chowders
Lobster	Distinctive, sweet	Firm to tender	Snowy white with red tinges	Steam, boil in stock, bake
Rock Lobster	Mild, sweet	Very firm	White	Steam, boil, broil, salads
Calamari / Squid	Delicate	Firm, resilient	White	Fry, stuff, marinate for salads
Crawfish	Delicate, similar to lobster but more pronounced	Firm	White with red tinges	Creole "boil," bisque, steam