Wild Cockles

These small, heart-shaped shells hail from New Zealand and offer delicate morsels of flesh with an intensely briny and seductively sweet flavor. A member of the clam family, cockles stand out for their uniquely pale-green shells. Sauté and simmer in a white wine and olive oil sauce with a dash of garlic and parsley, and pair with your favorite dry white wine. What to do if your shellfish is open when you receive it: Shellfish will naturally 'gape' when out of water, meaning they naturally open and close their shells while in storage. If the shell remains "gaping", run cold, fresh water over the shell while tapping with a spoon or on a chopping board - in most cases it will close up tightly. If the shell still does not close, then your mussels may be spoiled.