In LA last month, I made some new friends who invited me over to share an incredible feast of wild abalone. A friend of theirs is an abalone fanatic who regularly drives 9 hours up the coast, puts on a wetsuit, free-dives into turbulent, cold, shark infested waters and pries a maximum of three of these creatures off the rocks and then drives home the same day to share the catch with his friends.
The abalone got trimmed of dark bits (which were saved for chowder).
The abalone got trimmed of dark bits (which were saved for chowder).
The remaining muscle is surprisingly hard and dense.
We cut them into 3/8 inch thick slices and whacked them with a meat tenderizer until they were sort of loose and floppy.
The cutlets were dredged in egg, breadcrumbs and then fried, like a Wienerschnitzel of the sea. It was an extremely delicious and special treat, like the sweetest scallop I've ever tasted, combined with the satisfyingly firm (though not chewy) texture of pork or veal.
While visiting family in NJ last weekend, this can (which sells on Amazon for $119.50!) turned up. I think it's going to be saved for the holidays.
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