First of all, while there are seven of species of abalone in California, the only ones the divers are allowed to take are Red Abalone no smaller than seven inches in diameter. To preserve the population, licensed divers are allowed three abalone per day with a maximum of 24 per season. The season runs from April through November with a closure in July.
Regulations also prohibit the use of oxygen tanks, so would-be abalone divers have to be highly skilled. Imagine diving down to a depth of 20-30 feet in freezing water, while holding your breath. Once you’re down there, you have to find the abalone, make sure they are the proper size and species and then move swiftly to pry them off the rock with a special tool. Tip them off to your presence and they seize onto the rock, making it impossible to remove them. One strike and you’re out. The seas can be rough, and visibility can be low, adding to the difficulty.
Lets say you’re diving and you make it back to the surface with your abalone and head to the campsite to relax. First you have to pry the abalone out of their shells (this sounds nicer than saying you have to kill the live mollusks), and then you must trim out their goopy reproductive and digestive organs, as well as the black edges and the tough bits of the “foot.” Finally you have to pound the hell out of them or they’ll be too tough to eat. Then you can relax while someone else cooks them (if you’re lucky). In reality, most divers do cook. Usually they grill it, poach it, or slice, pound, bread, and pan-fry it. All are perfectly respectable ways to enjoy the sweet, oceany flesh.
Abalone Ceviche with Kumquats
6-8 kumquats, sliced as thinly as possible
2-3 serrano chiles, finely diced (seeds removed or left in depending on how much heat you want)
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 of a red onion, cut half, then thirds lengthwise and then thin, half-moon slices
Juice of 5-6 limes
Salt to taste
Campsite Abalone Chowder
2 pounds abalone trimmings
1/2 of an onion, roughly chopped
1 slab bacon
1/2 stick butter
1/2 of an onion, diced
2 to 3 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 abalone, diced
4 to 5 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled
Cream to taste (about a cup)
Salt and pepper to taste
cent. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and simmer until tender. (I added water to stretch it here because the broth was super flavorful) Add the abalone, bacon and cream and simmer until the abalone is tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
2 Comments
Hi Vanessa,
I wanted to personally thank you for the recipes. My husband is an Abalone diver and while I consider myself a foodie and an above average cook, I usualy end up throwing the Abalone I cook into the trash. I blame it on my east coast roots and my relatively new relationship with Abalone. The ritz crackers bit is so boring and I was out of ideas after trying several recipes. We got back late last night after camping at Albion and I am excited to try the chowder recipe.
Thanks again,
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
thanks for stopping in. I’m glad the recipes are helpful. Let me know how your chowder turned out!