Crustaceans are characterized by a body covered with a hard shell and they sometimes have claws they use for defending themselves and obtaining food. The most glorious in Spain are lobster with 10 legs, two of them with large claws, and the spiny lobster, which has smaller claws. Both have a cylindrically shaped body and a large, thick tail - the most coveted part of its anatomy. They consume other shellfish, which gives them an extraordinary taste and they are generally eaten boiled, although they are also grilled and prepared in rich dishes and stews.

The crab family is known for round or oval-shaped bodies surrounded with legs. The biggest species are the buey de mar, or edible crab, and the spider crab, followed by necoras or velvet swimming crabs and cangrejos de mar, or common shore crab. Their flesh is delicious. One common way of preparing buey de mar and spider crab is called the txangurro, which is basically boiling them and then putting a gratin�e layer on them in the oven. Besides being boiled, crabs and shore crabs can be eaten in clear or creamed soups.�

Shrimp can be white, like the ones that come from Huelva, or red as with those from the Mediterranean. Small ones are usually frozen, and are good for making soup and rich dishes. You can tell when shrimp are fresh because they still have their antennae. They are good grilled or boiled. There is another kind of small shrimp known as the quisquilla, characterized by their orange color and delicious flavor. Others called camarones are smaller and distinguished from quisquillas by their saw-toothed head. They are no more than 4 cm long, eaten boiled and also come salted. In the south of Spain they are used to make a kind of crunchy omelette. Prawns have a body like that of the shrimp, only bigger. They are grey, and turn pink when boiled. The best are those from the Mediterranean, although prawns from the Atlantic are also of good quality. They are normally prepared grilled or boiled, although they are also used in stews. Jumbo scarlet shrimp known a carabineros have a bright red color, a large, tasty head that is excellent for making clear and creamed soups, to which it adds flavor and color. Norway lobsters, or cigalas,� have an elongated body with a hard shell and claws. Their flesh is delicate and needs only a quick boil or grilling.
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The most atypical shellfish are goose barnacles. They have a shell that looks like a fingernail, and a foot with which they stick to rocks. This is� the only edible part. The best ones are short, thick ones. They are delicious simply poached in water with a pinch of salt added.

The usual way to prepare shellfish is in abundant boiling water with salt and a bit of bay leaf. The cooking time depends on the size of the species. They are as follows: lobster, about 20 minutes per kilo; spider crabs and edible crabs, about 30 minutes per kilo; crabs about eight minutes and Norway lobsters, three to five minutes, depending on the size; jumbo shrimp and prawns, three to five minutes; shrimp just one minute and quisquillas, camarones and goose barnacles are simply dropped in boiling water with salt, then taken out when the water resumes boiling. For grilling, these times are similar. If you are only going to eat the tails, save the heads. They are great for making broth or fish stock.