Treat your loved one to a Valentine’s Day shellfish treat!

There is no doubting that delicious Scottish mussels and oysters really are the ‘food of love’!

As well as being associated inextricably with romance, oysters and mussels are also incredibly good for you, being rich in minerals and vitamins, and a good source Omega-3, which helps protect the heart.  And what can be more romantic than sharing a dish of mussels or oysters?

Carefully cultivated in the pristine seas off the West coast of Scotland and Shetland, our freshly harvested shellfish are succulent and sweet-tasting.

Mussels are so quick and easy to cook, and oysters are pretty versatile too! Eating oysters ‘au naturel’ is a lot like wine tasting and experts recommend that you chew your oyster a little bit, and aerate (take a little air in) to allow the flavours to cross the palate and develop fully.

Oysters also taste great when lightly cooked, so why not try this super recipe?

Grilled Garlic Oysters
Serves 2

A dozen oysters
4oz breadcrumbs
For the garlic butter (makes more than you need, but it is always handy to have spare in the fridge or freezer):
225g unsalted butter, softened
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2tbsp finely chopped spring onion
Juice of one lemon

To make the garlic butter, mix all the ingredients with a fork. Form into a sausage shape and slice when needed. It can then be wrapped in cling film and stored in the fridge or freezer.

Shuck (open) the oyster by running a sharp knife along the inside of the top shell, cutting the muscle that attaches the oyster to the shell. Then slide the knife under the oyster meat to loosen it in the shell. Pour off excess water and place a little garlic butter on top. Cover with bread crumbs and put under a hot grill until the bread crumbs are golden and crispy. Enjoy!