How To Prepare Winkles

Fresh Winkles

I do believe that I deserve the title of Shellfish Queen due to these recent posts! There's been a lot huh? Sorry if you hate shellfish :(

Anyway, back to the winkles for the shellfish lovers out there! Winkles are lovely, there's a flavour about then that is almost buttery. Only problem with winkles is that you do have to put the work in for very little reward, a pint ends up as nothing more than a little pile on a saucer but it is worth it for the flavour.

This is a guide for pre-cooked winkles, the way in which I always buy them.

For this you'll need a pin, it's best to use a fairly thick one.

• Put the winkles into a colander and rinse under cold water

Winkle Washing

• Drain and put into a bowl
• Hold a winkle with two fingers and your thumb

Get Ready To Be Repetitive

• Put the pin tip behind the 'eye' and wiggle to get it loose from the winkle

If You're Wondering About The Orange Stuff It's From The Prawns

• Remove

Prawn Fingers and Thumb

• Dip the pin into a bowl of cold water to clean it

This Water Gets Dirty

• Put the pin a couple of millimetres into the winkle and pull it out of the shell

Hello

It's A Winkle!

• It's all edible but I prefer to remove the dark piece as I don't like the flavour of it

• Simply pull off with your fingers if you choose to

Almost Done

• I then put the winkle into the small bowl of cold water and give it a wiggle to make sure that there is no grit left

You'll End Up With A Lot Of

• Put into a bowl
• Repeat the process and serve

Or you can eat them as you go along like I mostly do! It does take blooming ages to do this, but once you get into a rhythm you'll find that you speed up. I don't often get in a rhythm as I'm too impatient and want to eat them there and then.

Typically a splash of non brewed condiment would be a serving suggestion but I prefer dipping in brine.

Whichever way you're going to eat them, enjoy!