Everything you need for a great plateau

Wondering where to buy cockles, sea snails, periwinkles or live sea urchins in the shell? They -- and everything else you need to put together an amazing plateau de fruits de mer -- are all available in and around L.A.

Live Maine lobster is available and in stock at Fish King Seafood & Poultry Co., Santa Monica Seafood, Los Angeles Fish Co. (L.A. Fish) and Quality Seafood as well as Bristol Farms and Gelson’s.

Mexican white shrimp are available at Fish King, L.A. Fish, Santa Monica Seafood and Bristol Farms.

Live Dungeness crab is available at Quality Seafood and can be special-ordered at Santa Monica Seafood, Fish King, L.A. Fish and Bristol Farms.

Fresh (not frozen) Dungeness crab is available at Fish King, Santa Monica Seafood, Quality Seafood and Bristol Farms. It can be special-ordered at Gelson’s. Check Whole Foods stores for availability.

Oysters are available at Santa Monica Seafood, Fish King, L.A. Fish and Bristol Farms. Santa Monica Seafood usually stocks Malpeques, Fanny Bays and Hama Hamas; Toten Virginicas, Skookums, Kusshis and Coromandels can be special- ordered. Fish King has Hama Hamas and Fanny Bays and can special-order Diamond Points, Blue Points, Kumamotos and Malpeques. L.A. Fish has Fanny Bays, Hama Hamas, Pacifics and Kumamotos; others can be special-ordered. Whole Foods stores carry a variety, such as Fanny Bays, Pacific Orchards, Malaspinas, Chefs Creeks and Hood Canals; others can be special-ordered.

Littleneck clams are available at Fish King, L.A. Fish, Santa Monica Seafood, Bristol Farms and Gelson’s.

Manila clams are available at Fish King, Santa Monica Seafood and Quality Seafood and can be special-ordered at L.A. Fish, Gelson’s and Whole Foods.

Live sea urchins can be special-ordered at Fish King, Santa Monica Seafood, L.A. Fish and Bristol Farms.

Periwinkles are available at L.A. Fish and can be special-ordered at Fish King, Santa Monica Seafood and Bristol Farms.

Cockles can be special-ordered at Fish King, L.A. Fish, Santa Monica Seafood and Bristol Farms. Check for availability at Whole Foods stores.

Sea snails can be special-ordered at Santa Monica Seafood, Fish King, L.A. Fish and Bristol Farms.

Platters and stands are available at Surfas in Culver City.

Fish King, 722 N. Glendale Ave., Glendale, (818) 244-2161.

Los Angeles Fish Co., 420 Stanford Ave., L.A., (213) 629-1213.

Quality Seafood Redondo Beach, 130 S. International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, (310) 372-6408.

Santa Monica Seafood, 1205 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 393-5244; 154 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 574-0274.

Bristol Farms, various Southern California locations.

Whole Foods, various Southern California locations.

Gelson’s, various Southern California locations.

Surfas Restaurant Supply, 8824 National Blvd., Culver City, (310) 559-4770.

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With the flick of a wrist, a shucked oyster

INSERT: Use a folded towel to hold the oyster. Place the tip of an oyster knife into the hinge end, and twist to open.

SLIDE: Gently push the knife sideways halfway into the oyster. Twist again to open, without spilling the oyster liquor.

PRY: Carefully loosen the oyster from the bottom muscle, using a spoon, but leave it in its half shell. Set aside on ice.

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Lobster tail, sliced neatly

SPLIT: To cut the lobster in half lengthwise, insert the tip of a sharp knife between the eyes and cut straight down.

REMOVE: Take the meat out of the tail of the lobster, gently pulling it away from the shell in one piece.

SLICE: Cut the meat into about one-half-inch medallions, and place the pieces back in the shell.

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Striking it rich, or how to open a sea urchin

OPEN: With a sharp knife or shears, cut a neat circle out of the shell top. Use a towel or gloves to protect your hands.

LIFT: Remove the cut-out circle (it should be about 3 inches around) from the shell, using the knife and a spoon.

POUR OFF: Discard the liquid from inside the shell, and using a spoon, remove and discard the black parts.

SCOOP: Spoon out the clusters of orange roe from inside the shell, keeping them as whole as possible.

SET ASIDE: Reserve the clusters of roe and carefully rinse out the inside of the sea urchin shell.

FILL: Place crushed ice inside the sea urchin shell and arrange the clusters of roe on top of the ice.