Archaeological finds have shown that humans have been making use of shellfish as a food item for hundreds of thousands of years. In the present, shellfish dishes are a feature of almost all the cuisines of the world, providing an important source of protein in many cuisines around the world, especially in the countries with coastal areas.

Molluscs used as a food source by humans include many species of clams, mussels, oysters, winkles, and scallops. In terms of gastropods, conch is particularly important in the Caribbean diet, winkles are enjoyed in the UK and periwinkles are an important flavouring (used dried) in many West African Soups and stews. Whelks are eaten in the Caribbean and Europe. Molluscs are a large phylum of invertebrate animals, many of which have shells. Edible molluscs are harvested from saltwater, freshwater, and the land, and include numerous members of the classes Gastropoda (snails), Bivalvia (clams, scallops, oysters etc.), Cephalopoda (octopus and squid) [though I am excluding cephalopods here], and Polyplacophora (chitons).

Many species of molluscs are eaten worldwide, either cooked or raw. Some mollusc species are commercially exploited and shipped as part of the international trade in shellfish; other species are harvested, sold and consumed locally. Some species are collected and eaten locally but are rarely bought and sold. A few species of molluscs are not commonly eaten now, but were eaten in historical or prehistoric times.

Some of the most commonly consumed molluscs and marine gastropod snails include: abalone (several species), true limpets, winkles (including periwinkles), conchs, several species of Calliostoma top snails, whelks, sea snails, bivalves (these have two shells and include: ark clams, true mussels, pen shells, true oysters, true cockles, scallops, venus clams, Mectridae clams, razor clams, bean clams, chitons). Note that abalone, limpets, winkles, conchs Callliostoma top snails, whelks and sea snails are all gastropods ie true snails. Some also include edible land snails such as escargot and giant African snails in this list.

The alphabetical list of all the shellfish-based recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 261 recipes in total:

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Huîtres à la laitue de mer (Oysters with Sea Lettuce)      Origin: France	Maelgi Rhost a Saws Bara Lawr (Roast Monkfish and Laverbread Sauce)      Origin: Welsh	Oyster Mushroom Tom Yum (Thai Hot and Sour Soup with Oyster Mushrooms)      Origin: Thailand
Huîtres Chaudes au Curry, étuvée de Choux (Baked Oysters with Curried Cabbage)      Origin: France	Manhattan Seafood Stew      Origin: American	Oyster Stew      Origin: Britain
Huîtres sauce échalote (Oysters with shallot sauce)      Origin: France	Manx Queenies with Garlic and Bacon      Origin: Manx	Oyster Stuffing for Turkey      Origin: Britain
In mitulis (Mussels)      Origin: Roman	Maryland Oyster Stew      Origin: America	Oysters in Cynee (Oysters in Spiced Bread Sauce)      Origin: England
In Mitulis (Of Mussels)      Origin: Roman	Matata (Clam and Peanut Stew)      Origin: Mozambique	Oysters in Stout Batter with Carrageen      Origin: Ireland
In Omne Genus Conchyliorum (For All Kinds of Shellfish)      Origin: Roman	Matata (Clams Cooked in Port Wine)      Origin: Sao Tome	Oysters Mombassa      Origin: Kenya
In ostreis (Oysters)      Origin: Roman	Mbakhal      Origin: Senegal	Oysters on the Half Shell with Mignonette Sauce      Origin: France
In Ostreis (Of Oysters)      Origin: Roman	Mejillones con Salsa Picante (Mussels with Spicy Sauce)      Origin: Spain	Oysters Rockerfeller      Origin: American
Indonesian Black Squid Curry      Origin: Indonesia	Microwave Red Wine Scallops      Origin: Britain	Oysters with Bloody Mary Sauce      Origin: American
Isicia Amulata a Balineo sic Facies (Meatballs with Starch Cooked in a Pan)      Origin: Roman	Microwave Three Fish Soup      Origin: Britain	Pâté Cregyn Gleision y Fenai (Menai Straits Mussel Pâté)      Origin: Welsh
Isicia de scillis (Prawn Rissole)      Origin: Roman	Midia Atmou me Aspro Krasi (Mussels Steamed in White Wine)      Origin: Greece	Paella Valencia      Origin: Spain
Isicia ex Sphondylis (Mussel Forcemeat)      Origin: Roman	Midia Pilaf (Mussels Pilaf)      Origin: Armenia	Pahua au curry (Curried Pahua)      Origin: Tahiti
Isicia Marina (Seafood Patties)      Origin: Roman	Miesmuscheln mit Curry (Mussels with Curry Sauce)      Origin: Namibia	Pahua Taioro      Origin: Tahiti
Isicium Simplex (Plain Forcemeats)      Origin: Roman	Mixed Mushroom Soup with Chu Hou      Origin: Fusion	Panko Fried Oysters      Origin: American
Ius in Locusta et Cammari (Sauce for Lobster and Crayfish)      Origin: Roman	Moules à la Luxembourgeoise (Mussels, Luxembourg Style)      Origin: Luxembourg	Pasta with Daylily Flower Buds and Mushrooms      Origin: American
Jamaican Mutton and Lime Leaf      Origin: Jamaica	Moules a la Bretonne (Brittany-style Mussels)      Origin: France	Pastai Cocos (Cockle Pie)      Origin: Welsh
Jamaican Seafood Soup      Origin: Jamaica	Moules Bretonnes a la Marinière (Breton Mussels Mariner-style)      Origin: France	Pastai Cocos, Tatws a Chennin (Cockle, Potato and Leek Pie)      Origin: Welsh
Jambo (Okra Soup)      Origin: Bonaire	Moules-frites (Mussels and Chips)      Origin: France	Pastai Cymreig Cocos a Chennin (Welsh Cockle and Leek Pie)      Origin: Welsh
Jambo (Okra Soup)      Origin: Curacao	Muscle Sauce (Mussel Sauce)      Origin: British	Pastai Gocos (Cockle Pie)      Origin: Welsh
Japanese Knotweed Noodles      Origin: Britain	Mushroom and Spinach Rustic Pie      Origin: British	Patina de Piscibus, Dentice, Aurata et Mugile (A Dish of Fish Made with Dentex, Gilt-head Bream, or Grey Mullet)      Origin: Roman
Jiaozi (Chinese Dumplings)      Origin: China	Mushroom Goulash      Origin: British	Patinam ex Lacte (Milk Casserole)      Origin: Roman
Karko Stobá (Queen Conch Stew)      Origin: Aruba	Mushroom Pudding      Origin: Britain	Penne with Mushroom Cream Sauce      Origin: Italy
Karko Stobá (Queen Conch Stew)      Origin: Bonaire	Muskels in Bruet (Mussels in Bruet)      Origin: England	Pice Cocos (Cockle Pikelets)      Origin: Welsh
Karko Stobá (Queen Conch Stew)      Origin: Curacao	Mussel Brose      Origin: Scotland	Pice Tatws, Cocos a Bara Lawr (Potato, Cockle and Laverbread Patties)      Origin: Welsh
Kekefia (Plantain Pottage)      Origin: Nigeria	Mussel Hodi      Origin: Sri Lanka	Pitche-Patche de Ostras (Oyster and Rice Soup)      Origin: Guinea-Bissau
King Scallop in Molee Sauce      Origin: Manx	Mussel Pie      Origin: Bermuda	Plateau de Fruits de Mer (Seafood Platter)      Origin: France
Kuljon (Oysters Fried in Egg Batter)      Origin: Korea	Mussel Soup      Origin: Scotland	Poo Pad Pong Curry (Thai Crab Curry Recipe)      Origin: Thailand
La Mouclade Bretonne (Breton Mouclade)      Origin: France	Mussels in Cream Sauce      Origin: Britain	Potes Cregyn Gleision Gyda Ceirch (Mussel Stew with Oat Dumplings)      Origin: Welsh
Langoustines au Breton Kari (Langoustines with Breton Kari Spices)      Origin: France	Mussels in Creamy Horseradish Sauce      Origin: Ancient	Psarósoupa Kakavia (Cretan Seafood Stew)      Origin: Greece
Lapas (Griddled Limpets)      Origin: Portugal	Naengi-guk (Shepherd's Purse Soup)      Origin: Korea	Pwdin Berw Bara Lawr (Laverbread Suet Pudding)      Origin: Welsh
Le Chao Men (New Caledonian Chaw Mein)      Origin: New Caledonia	Noix de St-Jacques à la crème d'oignons de Roscoff (Scallops with Roscoff Onion Cream)      Origin: France	Ragoût de lambi (Conch stew)      Origin: Saint-Martin
Lenticula ex sphondylis (Mussels with Lentils)      Origin: Roman	Nowmbyls of Muskyls (Mussels in Almond Milk Sauce)      Origin: England	Rhiwbob Rhost â Iogwrt (Limpets)      Origin: Welsh
Ligge Estren Porth Navas (Port Navas Oyster Soup)      Origin: England	Otong Soup      Origin: Nigeria
Locustas Assas sic Facies (Roast Lobster is Made Thus)      Origin: Roman	Oyster Croquets      Origin: British

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