Introducing shellfish - any ideas?

[Penville]

Could anyone please help me with some easy, family recipes to introduce shellfish?

I’m having trouble finding something baby friendly to try as most recipes seem to have quite a lot of salt, soy sauce or alcohol in. I’d like to make a proper meal rather than just adding shellfish to something random as DH isn’t a big fan 🙂

Home made prawncakes?

DD loves prawns as finger food.

Other seafood might be a bit chewy unless you're into blending.

Why though?

I love shellfish and so would say mussels. Then you can cook them yourself etc. And they are v sustainable.

But I don't get why you need to 'introduce' them in particular.

Fish pie (with prawns in)

Microwave risotto www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/toddler-recipe-microwave-courgette-and-pea-risotto-prawns

Crab cakes friendlyfirstfoods.co.uk/crab-cakes/

Fish pie www.ellaskitchen.co.uk/recipes/fabulous-fish-pie/

Thanks for the ideas all 😊 Can’t believe I forgot fish pie - guess I’m used to making it to my recipe.

@NiceGerbil the NHS weaning website recommends introducing allergens one by one and if there’s no reaction to keep offering them to lower the risk of an allergy developing. Think that advice mostly applies to nuts but shellfish is on the list and (daft though it probably is) it makes me feel better to have a system 🙂

Out of interest do you have a good recipe for mussels? I only eat them in restaurants and usually cooked in wine (and served with wine) 😊

You could do prawn sandwiches, chop the prawns up a bit and maybe mix with some cream cheese if you don't want to give mayo.

I am French, and mussels and clams are a big part of our meals.
Super easy and we never add salt, because mussels and clams are already salty form the sea water.
For clams in a net. Fill the kitchen sink with water and put the clams in it, and move them with your hands, then put them out in a colander. Let the water run out. If there is sand, you need to rinse it and repeat the process until no sand it left.
You need now a pan and its lid (must have lid. Otherwise use your widest pot as long as it has a lid) . Put olive oil in the pan, and heat it well. You can test the heat with a drop of water you let fall from your fingers. It must sizzle when it hits the oil. Put all the clams from the colander at once, and put lid on. after 5-7 min (depends on size of clams) , open lid, if the clams are open, they are ready, if not put lid back on for couple more minutes Done.
As an alternative recipe, you can put some garlic clove in the pan, and a branch of parsley. We put white wine, but not as a fist taste of clams.
Same with mussel, but for them you need to debeard them. There is a sort of string of hair that dangles from the mussel which you must pull from every mussel. Give them also a quick wash brushing them with your hands.
Same procedure as clams, but here you will use a pot, as you need a bigger container. Oil and lid is all you need. Later you can experiment with garlic, parsley, chopped tomatoes, and so on. Same as for clams, you know the mussels are ready if they are open. Never force open or eat the ones that are remain closed.

Shellfish is tasty as it is. Give your child a taste of fish that tastes like fish and not only fried/baked/covered in mayo.

Look for French recipes, but leave the wine out. But seriously @Penville clams and mussels are dead easy. Extra virgin Oil+garlic+parsley