Shellfish Dishes in the USA

Restaurant Dish

A dish often ordered in restaurant is called on the menu as Surf and Turf. The dish usually consists of a cut of steak like fillet mignon and is accompanied by a lobster tail. This became a popular dish to order in the US during the 1960s. The meat is usually grilled to order and served with a thick sauce, and the seafood can be grilled, fried, baked, or boiled depending on the choice of seafood. Believe it or not, this dish is celebrated every leap year on February 29 and known as National Surf and Turf Day.

Connecticut

The Connecticut-style lobster roll was the very first type of lobster roll known. The meat of the lobster is steamed or boiled and placed in a toasted and warm New England-style bun and drizzled with drawn butter. The type of lobster meat used is usually the knuckle and claw meat, but can also be the tail and is enhanced with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Florida

Stone crabs are native to the state of Florida and are a popular seafood dish. These crabs are unique in that they are often harvested for just their claws. The rest of the crab is returned to the ocean alive since these creatures can regenerate their claws. The stone crab claws are large and contain a lot of sweet and tender crab meat. The claws are boiled for a few minutes until cooked through and then chilled. Once removed from the shell, they are served with a mustard sauce for dipping, but other sauces can be used, like cocktail sauce or plain melted butter. The stone crab season runs from October 15 to May 15.

Louisiana

A traditional dish from New Orleans is BBQ shrimp. However, they are not grilled but instead cooked on the stove or in the oven. The dish consists of large fresh shrimp (shells on), butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. The combination is baked or cooked on the stove and served as an appetizer with crusty bread on the side to sop up the juices.

A dish with Cajun origins is etouffee served as a main course. It is prepared with shellfish like crawfish or shrimp smothered in a thick sauce. The sauce consists of a blond or brown roux, and the finished dish is always served over rice.

A sandwich that originated in Louisiana in the early 20th century is called a Po’boy. It was the invention of two brothers, Benny and Clovis Martin, who opened a sandwich shop in New Orleans. They created the po’boy sandwich by filling French bread with a variety of meat or seafood such as roast beef, ham and cheese, meatballs, oysters, crabs, or shrimp. The sandwich is served with French fries and gravy.

Maine

A specialty of the state of Maine is the lobster roll. This sandwich consists of cooked lobster meat drizzled with butter placed into a long hot dog roll. The sandwich might also include lettuce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Traditional accompaniments are French fries or potato chips. Most Mainers eat the roll filled with cold lobster salad made with mayonnaise, sometimes with the addition of diced celery

Maryland

A delicious dish associated with the state of Maryland is crab cakes. Crab cakes are made with crab meat, mayonnaise, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, and seasonings. The best choice for this dish is the blue crab. When prepared in a restaurant, they are served on a bun accompanied by French fries, coleslaw, or macaroni salad. Once Old Bay seasoning was added to the crab cakes, they became a staple of the state.

New England

What was once a Native American tradition of cooking clams and lobsters in sand pits had now become a popular New England state dish known as the clam bake. It consists of lobsters, mussels, crabs, and clams steamed in sand pits over several layers of seaweed. By the end of the 19th century, clambake became a unique American tradition and is now typically prepared at festive events throughout New England.

Southern US

Shrimp and grits has become a traditional dish in the southern states. It is a simple but delicious dish with plenty of shrimp served along with grits. There are many variations with additional ingredients. The annual Shrimp and Grits Festival is held on Jekyll Island in the state of Georgia.

Washington

A specialty that comes from the state of Washington is Dungeness crab cakes. It includes the succulent crab meat of the Dungeness crab, a crustacean living in the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast of North America. The dish is usually prepared by combining Dungeness crabmeat with mayonnaise, red bell peppers, celery, onions, herbs, panko breadcrumbs, seasonings, and eggs. The mixture is shaped into round cakes, rolled in breadcrumbs, and fried or baked until crispy.

The dish is typically served as an appetizer, a snack, or a main meal for lunch or dinner.