McFarland Springs Rainbow Trout

​Delicious McFarland Springs rainbow trout fillets are headed your way! One of our favorite (and priciest) fillets, "Sea Forager" and trout may seem incongruous, but please hear me out on this. McFarland Springs Rainbow trout are not only among the best eating fish I've had in the last 5 years, but these beautiful sparkling, rainbow-hued creatures, just may be the hope of the oceans and the answer to the global need for fish. You think I'm being hyperbolic? Overly dramatic? I'm not. Ask yourselves, what is going to happen to fish stocks when the human population reaches 50 billion? 100 billion? 500 billion? There are really only two outcomes: 1) The human species learns to harvest/farm sustainably and we have oceans full of fish, or 2) the human species learns nothing, continues to harvest and farm destructively and fish stocks are destroyed.

What if I told you that there is, within driving distance of San Francisco, a fish farm that produces a gorgeous, pink-fleshed native species? And that this farm invested millions of dollars to develop a feed pellet that does not contribute to the ongoing decimation of the three most important of all fish: sardine, anchovy and menhaden? A fish farm that recirculates all the waste from their raceways onto a 5 acre field of native grasses, where horses gambol happily in the cool Sierra breeze? What if I told you that despite the limited supply, I can get these trout to you during the fall and winter?

And the beautiful thing is that they're located in California. So I don't have to source outside the state. Anyway... I'm really hoping you guys will love and appreciate these fish as much as I do. You can read all about them on my trout landing page, and check out a great little video here.

ORIGIN: McFarland Springs Rainbow Trout Farm Susanville, California

METHOD: Aquaculture

INFO PAGE: click for fishery info!

VIDEO: see for yourself what goes on at McFarland Springs!

RECIPES: Trout with lemon dill sauce, Lemony trout with capers and wine, Pan-Fried Trout with Green Onions, Trout with curried orange butter, trout gravlax, trout miso soup.

WINE PAIRING: for the Lemony Trout with Capers and Wine recipe our friends at tableWINE in Pacifica recommend a a crisp Sicilian white such as Grillo (Paolo Cali “Blues”). Cheers!

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Skipjack Tuna

AKA: Aku/katsuo/skipjack
We're super happy to provide delicious skipjack tuna (in Japan: katsuo, in Hawaii: aku)! These fish are fantastic as sashimi or poke. Aku is so popular (as poke in Hawaii and as sashimi in Japan) that most of it goes to markets in those areas. Of the tunas these fish are fast growing, and fast to reproduce. Their small size also keeps them from occupying a high position on the food chain so they are lower in the toxins that are often associated with the larger tunas. The source for these are small rod and reel boats using troll gear as opposed to the gigantic Hawaiian Pelagic long liners that are so destructive. During the winter we found a few Hawaiian small boat fishermen who use sustainable gear and are willing to catch and pack in ice and drive fish to airport so we can look forward to their catch. Several years ago on a trip to the Big Island I was shocked (shocked!) to discover that full sized skipjacks are primarily targeted for use as marlin bait. I was on one of those big charter boats operating out of Kona and though the water the was boiling with "skippies," the crew absolutely refused to drop a line for them. One of the more frustrating fishing experiences I've had in my life. Anyway, for those unfamiliar with this species, the Japanese is "katsuo." The Hawaiian: "aku." They'll arrive skin on, and are perfect for the grill, searing, or sushi. Enjoy!

ORIGIN: Fisherman: Alapai Tulon, FV Open sea sport fishing, Port Allen, Kauai, Hawaii

METHOD: trolling (not trawling), using hook and line

QUICK TUNA RECIPES: Basic ahi tuna poke, Pan-Seared Tuna Loin, Tuna with Wasabi Cream Sauce, Tahitian Poisson Cru, or simply grilled, or enjoyed as sushi

PREP TIP: how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO

WINE PAIRING: our friends at tableWINE in Pacifica assure us that if you're making poke, a DRY riesling is super fun. Great acidity but yet a little stone fruit to keep things from being to mineral driven- Clemensbusch Riesling Trocken (German word for dry) from the Mosel, GR.

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FishKirk LombardTuna
Butter clams

Neptune's Delighters, you are in for a treat! We are really excited to be offering these rare and delicious clams for you this week. Check out our special Butter clam info page for more details, or read on for some basic info on your delicacy.

The Meat

Butter clams are delicious buttery mollusks of total wonderment. I can't believe we have them for sale. They are wild gathered from Tillamook Bay Oregon by professional clam divers. (I think that's what I want to be when I grow up). Anything that can be done with a clam can be done with a butter clam. You can eat them raw. You can steam them. You can use them in a chowder. I personally like them in chowder. But that's me.

Prep

Butter clams have a hard time closing their shells all the way. So if they are a little bit open when you get them that doesn't mean they're dead. Tap the neck of the clam. If it withdraws, or moves a little, it's alive. It's a good idea to cut off the dark tip of the siphon (neck).

To eat raw, take a sharp knife and cut the clam right down the middle of the two shells. You will then have meat on both sides. Take your knife and shuck the meat just like you would an oyster, then slurp it down! Yum! Look out, it's nature's viagra! How to prep a butter clam video (prep starts at 6:30, enjoy the diving part first!)


For chowders, soups, paellas, cioppinos etc you may want to tenderize them: drop them in the pot, bring to a boil, when the shells open fully they're done. Remove the clams from their shells and beat them lightly with a tenderizing mallet.


Health Concerns

All filter feeding bivalves (mussels, clams, oysters, scallops) are potential PSP risks. The area where these clams are gathered in Tillamook Bay is checked regularly by biologists to ensure a safe product.


ORIGIN: wild gathered from Tillamook Bay, Oregon by professional clam diver Brad Farmer

RECIPES: click for recipes!

VIDEO: How to prep a butter clam video (prep starts at 6:30, enjoy the diving part first!)

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Pacific Mackerel

Spanish mackerel, caught by Captain Pete "the Greek" on the F/V Sardella out of Half Moon Bay. Pete hand pulls his lamara net in the ancient Greek method aboard his 14' whaler. Taste the heritage! Bold, awesome, high in Omega 3s... enjoy these delicious and beautiful species.

Your mackerel will come whole, approximately 2 lbs, so you can practice your skills, in the spirit of the Neptune's Delight. There will be some bones that are easy to eat around, but you need to gut them (the fish are healthy but the guts are not). Gut 'em and grill (or bake) them, then pull the meat off as you would with a whole trout. You can stuff them with herbs, lemons and bake, or salt them and toss it on the grill, you can't go wrong. And send us photos of your fish! You could win a Sea Forager apron!

PREP TIPS: You got a whole fish! What to do:

  • Sharpen your paring knife. Like, really sharp.

  • Place your fish on the cutting board and slice into the fish’s “vent” (poop hole) and up to the “neck.”

  • Use your hands or a teaspoon to scrape out the innards and gills. Or you can cut the head off if you like too. Pause, and ponder the wheel of life.

  • Rinse your gutted fish, and cook that beauty!

ORIGIN: F/V Sardella, Half Moon Bay, CA

INFO PAGES: Click for fishery info! SARDINES - MACKEREL

SARDINE & MACKEREL RECIPES: Roasted sardines with garlic and paprika, broiled sardines with lemon wedges, stuffed sardines, broiled sardines wrapped in bacon, roasted sardines stuffed with herbs

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FishKirk LombardMackerel
True Cod

AKA true cod, tonight you get to enjoy some beautiful IQF hook and line-caught pacific cod from the frozen northlands by way of F/V Artic Prowler out of Hoonah, AK. These line caught fish are handled one fish at a time, with care, for the benefit of the fishery and your supper. 

....and talk about balls of steel. These guys fish Kodiak all winter! Here's a video of some other pacific cod fishermen, just to get a taste of the work that goes into it. This is a deeply awesome fishery, and there are several reasons why I am happy to support this fishery… for one thing, these guys are pulling up true cod in 2,000 feet of water in Alaska right now, which is badass in itself and a truly sustainable alternative to typical trawling. For another, this is one of the few fish on the West Coast that's called a cod and actually is a cod! ("rock cod," lingcod and black cod are not true gadiformes). Visit the info page for more info on this tasty and sustainable slab.

Perfect for fish and chips or any "cod" recipe, it's perfect for frying but also versatile. Be sure to check out the Fishwife's true cod recipes, and let us know what you do with it - remember, our fave fish photo wins a Sea Forager oyster shucker!

IQF = Individually Quick Frozen. If what one intends to do is run a sustainable seafood company that is fully committed to high standards, one must occasionally dip into frozen supply, especially in the off-season when big swells and closed seasons are a reality. I should also add that these fish are the same quality that goes out to the top four star restaurants in the country. I am proud to support these fishermen and delighted to offer it to you. We're excited about this fish because it's so damned delicious, mouth-watering, one of the best products we've ever offered, and we know the guys who caught it. Enjoy!

ORIGIN: F/V Artic Prowler out of Hoonah, AK.

METHOD: hook and line

INFO PAGE: click for fishery info!

RECIPES: Beer battered cod, pan fried true cod with breadcrumbs and herbs, easy-peasy cod in parchment paper, true cod with mustard-caper sauce, herb crusted true cod, true cod chowder with leeks

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FishKirk LombardCod, True Cod
Sand Dab

​These lovely local fish are the pride of San Francisco, and if you haven't yet, you'll find out why. Your dabs will come pan-ready.

The Mr. Morgan is the only Scottish Seiner on the west coast of North America. Typically, sand dabs are caught by drag netting. This is seriously unique and allows us to enjoy this fish with ethical ease. Check out my epic post about the Mr Morgan on the sand dab page, and the Fishwife's recipe for this glorious flatfish. These are the ONLY TRULY sustainable sand dabs available anywhere, except when I catch them myself by hook and line.

Sand dabs, by the way, are probably the most uniquely San Francisco fish in the Pacific Ocean. Other cities get local halibut, salmon, rockfish, tuna… but nowhere is the tiny sand dab treated with such reverence as here. Yet another reason that Bay Area people are so superior to everyone else ;) Sand dabs are exactly the kind of fish that we should be eating more of. Low on the food chain, able to reproduce quickly and extremely abundant. We've got some great recipes and fishery info on Sea Forager so, again, if you haven't checked that out… please give it all a read through.

ORIGIN: F/V Mr. Morgan out of Half Moon Bay

INFO PAGE: click for fishery info!

RECIPES: Sand dabs with bread crumb batter.

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FishKirk LombardSand Dab
Deep Water "Red Banded" or Blackgill Rockfish

We have a line on some beautiful red banded and blackgill rockfish from F/V Yellow Time off of Santa Barbara, CA and we're happy to have them for you today. Caught by bottom longline, these stocks are doing really well, and these specific fish will be in top condition and as fresh as can be.

Most of the rockfish that end up in our local markets are drag caught, and the fact that these are hook and line caught is really awesome. To put it in perspective, a boat dragging for ocean perch, thorny heads or chilis can catch 40,000 pounds in one outing. By contrast a guy fishing hook and line is lucky to catch 250 to 500 pounds. Of the rockfish species, this is a relatively short-lived, fast-maturing species that lives most of it's life on shallower water than many other rockfish species. Did I mention they're delicious?

ORIGIN: F/V Yellow Time off of Santa Barbara, CA

METHOD: bottom longline

RECIPES: rockfish tacos & Mexican slaw; rockin' rockfish cakes; convict chowder, OR just grill it! Light marinade and a BBQ - you're golden.

PREP TIP: (optional) how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO

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Dungeness Crab

​Crab are back! With any luck we will have some Dungeness crab for you this Wednesday from our own coast. Your crab will be raw, gutted, and cleaned, 3 pieces per order (1.5 crabs). Shellfish is perishable, so it's best steamed and enjoyed immediately. Enjoy!

METHOD: Crab traps

RECIPES: Steam quickly and enjoy with melted butter, or or whip up some crab cakes, or check out Jeff's Cracked Crab with Lemongrass, Black Pepper, and Basil, Pauls' Italian roast crab recipe.

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CrustaceanKirk LombardCrab
Pacific Herring

Huzzah! The herring are running! FV Captain Midnight, Captain Chris Cameron found these in our own waters. ​ The fishery is very healthy, as are the fish - they are short lived and do not bioaccumulate toxins and are full of omega-3s. Awesome pickled, fried, broiled, or baked.

Of all the fish that end up in the Neptune's Delight orders, herring require the most work. They will need to be scaled and gutted, or filleted. For pickling do not chunk the herring, fillet them. There's no easy way around this. Crack a beer or pour yourself a glass of wine and embrace the process of getting intimate with your fish! Remember, if you find eggs inside the females you can brine them and make your own kazunoko--or something close to it!

Herring meat is strong in flavor and soft in texture. It firms up really nicely when pickled. Herring can be grilled, pickled, smoked, broiled or pan fried. De-boning a herring is a tad more difficult than de-boning a sardine, but I suggest you just fillet it and leave the bones. If you're smoking your herring remember, our herring have much less fat than the Atlantic herring that are typically used for "kippers." So when marinating your local herring make sure to add a touch of oil or fat to the mix.

ORIGIN: FV Captain Midnight, Captain Chris Cameron

INFO PAGE: click for videos and more!

METHOD: Seine net

PREP TIP VIDEO: begins at 0:2:18

RECIPES: Kirk's pickled herring, oat-crusted fried herring, bacon-wrapped herring, herring milt & roe, Chinese-style steamed herring, roasted herring stuffed with herbs, or simply dredged in flour and pan fried - easy and delicious!

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Sardines

Easier than a trip to Greece! IQF Sardines, caught by the F/V Sea Wave out of Monterey, CA. Taste the heritage! Bold, awesome, high in Omega 3s... enjoy these delicious and beautiful species.

Your sardines will come whole, approximately 2 lbs, so you can practice your skills, in the spirit of the Neptune's Delight. There will be some bones that are easy to eat around, but you need to gut them (the fish are healthy but the guts are not). Gut 'em and grill (or bake) them, then pull the meat off as you would with a whole trout. You can stuff them with herbs, lemons and bake, or salt them and toss it on the grill, you can't go wrong. And send us photos of your fish! You could win a Sea Forager oyster shucker!

INFO PAGE: click for more fishery info!

PREP TIPS: You got a whole fish! What to do:

  • Scale your whole fish by holding it by the tail and then using the back of a knife or a spoon, scrape against the "grain" of the scales. I recommend laying out newspaper and doing it on top or scaling into a bag (place it in the sink for ease, but then toss the bag in the trash.) Rinse when you're done.

  • Sharpen your paring knife. Like, really sharp.

  • Place your fish on the cutting board and slice into the fish’s “vent” (poop hole) and up to the “neck.”

  • Use your hands or a teaspoon to scrape out the innards and gills. Or you can cut the head off if you like too. Pause, and ponder the wheel of life.

  • Rinse your gutted fish, and watch the video to see how to pull out the spine and bones.

  • VIDEO: here’s a cleaning video, minus the scaling. You got this!

  • Cook that beauty!

ORIGIN: F/V Sea Wave, Monterey, CA

SARDINE & Mackerel RECIPES: Roasted sardines with garlic and paprika, broiled sardines with lemon wedges, stuffed sardines, broiled sardines wrapped in bacon, roasted sardines stuffed with herbs.

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Cove Mussels

​These beautiful cove mussels are very rarely sold retail anywhere except in Tomales Bay. They also happen to be the only mussels currently raised in Tomales. So this is the most local mussel you can get unless you pick yourself, which I can show you how to do.

Steam these beauties in beer or wine and inhale the intoxicating scent of the sea! Check out the Fishwife's mussel recipes and be sure to send us photos of your culinary creation.

BRING A BAG! Because mussels are brought to you alive, they will arrive in a net bag so bring some kind of drip-proof bag or container to carry your mussels in. Store in the back of your fridge covered with a damp towel but do not submerge in water. Discard any shells that don't close when you tap them, or remain closed after cooking.

Preparation (be sure to read this)

Most of you guys will be familiar with mussels but in case you are not, here are some things you need to be aware of:

  1. Mussels open up when they die. If any of your mussels are open before you cook them, tap them a few times: if they close up, they are still alive. If they do not close up they are dead and should be discarded.

  2. As far as cooking mussels goes, nature provided mussels with a built in timer for boiling or steaming. Pour about a cup of beer, wine, or water, in a nice big pot and add your mussels. Cover with a nice tight lid and steam, shaking occasionally. When the mussels open up (even a little bit) they're done. Those mussels that do not open up should be discarded. Or check the Fishwife's recipe for a more fun version, but the principle is the same.

  3. Cove mussels are grown in the wild. They are a tad more rugged than the machine cleaned and sorted varieties. Rinse them well before cooking. And remove the beards! The mussels' beards are the bryssal fibers that connect them to the structure that they grow on. Pull these fibers off before you cook them.

ORIGIN: Tomales Bay, CA

METHOD: Aquaculture

INFO PAGE: click for more fishery info

RECIPES: Easy steamed mussels with wine, Drunken Mussels with Fennel & Lemon, Seafood chowder with leeks

Enjoy!

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Yellowtail Jack

We are in for a treat - yellowtail jack! This is the same species as farmed hamachi from Japan, but this is WILD and caught by hook and line. The stocks are doing very well. Click the info page for more fishery details.

Your fish will come skin-on. Perfect for the grill, sushi, or any other recipe with bold flavors, this fatty, firm fish is sure to please. Note: it's best to trim away the red meat as it's particularly pungent and not good for sushi.

ORIGIN: F/V Noelle May, Captain Bruce Derksen, caught off of the Channel Islands, CA

METHOD: hook & line

RECIPES: Check out this member recipe for Tahitian Poisson Cru, or pick your favorite marinade and grill it quickly over high heat, or enjoy as sushi!

PREP TIP: (optional) how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO

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Night Smelt

Just a reminder, when eating "night fish," just batter and fry whole. No cleaning necessary, but keep in mind that sometimes there are sand grains in the gills, so grab them by the heads, dip in sauce and scarf everything but the head and gills. That's what I do anyway.

Oh man, I love these little guys. KQED filmed a video of me going after them and the Fishwife frying them up - see HERE. Before that I've written passionately about them on The Monkeyface News over the years and made my own weird night smelt VIDEOS highlighting the insanity and the thrill of fishing for these fish. Much milder than anchovies and perfect for the fry pan. They are classically served fried, but the Fishwife likes to bake and broil them too, the way she does with surf smelt.

PREP

Be sure to wash and rinse them and then consider how to cook them. Virtually every fisherman on the coast and most of the chefs who cook these fish fry them whole: heads, guts and all. They do not as a rule feed while spawning so there's nothing in their stomachs. The only problem in eating them whole is that they tend to swallow a little sand, and also there may be a few sand grains in their gills. It's no more grit than what you get in an average oyster, but I want to point it out before you guys chomp down on whole night smelt. Personally I prefer them headed and gutted and that’s what I suggest you do. It will take you 15 minutes to clean your bag of fish (bags are 2.25 to 2.5 pounds), and this is a good way to practice your fish butchery skills. And BTW: night smelt DO NOT have to be scaled—which is always the hardest part of cleaning a small fish! They also keep well frozen if need be.

INFO PAGE: click for more info

ORIGIN: Dude Gifford, Eureka, CA

METHOD: A-frame dip net, based on a Native American design that has been used on the California coast for many thousands of years.

RECIPE: Night smelt fish fry (or, fries with eyes!)​

More Night smelt madness HERE

VIDEO: Night smelt fishing in California, employing the use of traditional Native American A-frame dip net.

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Surf Smelt

​A few lucky Neptune's Delight members will enjoy surf smelt, caught using a small purse seine off of Crescent City. This is the kind of delicious, nutritious and sustainably harvested species, I really want people to experience, (like sardine, mackerel, night smelt and anchovy). These are small in size, affectionately referred to as “whitebait” and can be prepared like night smelt (fried and eaten whole).

Surf smelt are one of my absolute favorite little fishes, and we haven't seen them for about 5 years and now they're suddenly showing up. Captain Ken Bates F/V Ironic off the Humboldt Coast caught these with his purse seine. You can eat it whole like a small trout, or debone and then cook.

ORIGIN: Captain Ken Bates F/V Ironic off the Humboldt Coast

METHOD: Small purse seine

PREP: Be sure to wash and rinse them and then consider how to cook them. Here's a short video on how to clean these beauties in two easy steps: VIDEO, and a couple videos on frying and stuffing surf smelt too on the INFO PAGE

RECIPE: Fried fillets or stuffed surf smelt.

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Bonito

These beautiful fish are rarely found locally, and we can thank global warming for their appearance in Moss Landing. Bonito are a smaller member of the tuna family and are excellent as sashimi, or seared. Your fish were reeled in by hook and line yesterday, and your fillet will come skin on (see how to remove your fish skin VIDEO).

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FishKirk LombardBonito
FLYING FISH

These are a silverside fish, and literally fly onto the boat, so they're netted from the boat. This is a bait fishery (they're used for bluefin tuna), but many of the top restaurants (and home cooks) have realized what great eating they are, and so can you!

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FishCamilla LombardFlying Fish
Ahi Tuna

Awesome ahi tuna is swimming your way! Your beautiful ahi tuna are reeled in off the Kauai coast by Captain Lanning, F/V Wahine Kepaloa II using rod and reel using troll gear as opposed to the gigantic Pelagic long liners that are so destructive.

Your ahi tuna loin will come skin off, blood line removed. Perfect for the grill, for searing, or sushi. Please note that the ahi is firmer than albacore.

This is the highest-grade tuna on the market, sustainably caught. Check out the info page for more details, and peep the recipes too!

ORIGIN: reeled in off the Kauai coast by Captain Lanning, F/V Wahine Kepaloa II using rod and reel

METHOD: trolling (not trawling), using hook and line

RECIPES: Pan-Seared Albacore Tuna Loin, Tahitian Poisson Cru, Tuna with red pepper sauce, Simple Poke, Albacore tuna skewers

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FishCamilla LombardTuna, ahi tuna
Abalone

We are lucky to celebrate sustainable aquaculture this Wednesday! We will be delivering live red abalone for our Neptune's Delight members. We are getting these little beauties from American Abalone Farm in Davenport, Ca., just north of Santa Cruz. Tom has a very cool operation there, nurturing abalone from water brought in just steps away from the beach.

Red abalone is a native snail-like univalve mollusk, legal for sport harvest and aquaculture in California. It is a super local and sustainable ocean product (rated “Best Choice” a la Seafood Watch). As in the wild, abalone eat marine algae (seaweeds) which are harvested in a sustainable manner by clipping the blades so they grow back. Fun fact: the colors on the abalone shells are a result of the different seaweeds that they eat.

These abalones are three years old, and are a true delicacy. You will receive six per order and they are small, but incredibly flavorful. Each fillet is about 1 oz, and will make a delectable appetizer or dinner for two rounded out with some sides. And of course these fine fillets come inside a gorgeous shell that you can enjoy long after your meal is through!

ORIGIN: Davenport, Ca.
METHOD: Aquaculture
PREP TIPS from the farmer: Your live abalone will be sealed in an oxygenated plastic bag. Do not open the bag until you’re ready to remove the shells and cook it. You should remove the meat from the shell as soon as possible. You can store your fillets in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze immediately. (VIDEO)

  1. Open the bag and place your abalone on a towel (it may attach to your counter-top). Sponge off any bits of seaweed on the bottom of its “foot.”

  2. Hold the shell in your hand with the head facing you. Using an oyster knife, butter knife, or spoon, insert between the foot and the shell, and scoop the foot out. The viscera will either stay in the shell or come out, just discard it. Trim off the head at an angle, and rinse.

  3. The abalone will tighten and become very firm when removed from the shell. It will naturally relax after a few hours in the refrigerator. This is not a substitute for tenderization. The best time to serve your abalone as sashimi is right after the natural relaxation has occurred. If, like us, you can't wait, just go ahead and tenderize before cooking.

  4. Tenderizing: not necessary if you plan to eat it raw, steamed, or slow cooked. Place the abalone inside a towel and pound both sides of the meat until it’s flexible enough to fold. Don’t pound too hard or you will split or crush it. When you're done it should drape over your fingers. But go easy, honcho!

RECIPES: Pan Fried Abalone with Lemon-Sriracha aioli, Abalone with pine nuts, lemon & butter

VIDEO: How to remove your abalone from the shell and clean it

WINE PAIRING: our friends at tableWINE in Pacifica assure us that a a lightly fruity Prosecco would be delicious! (Andreola Verv Prosecco)

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