Creamed Paua

[jesusgecko]

Paua,  abalone,  oversized sea snail.....call them what you want,  but they are goooooood!!!
 
Most folk in these parts make fritters out of them,  but I find them too boring.  THIS is my favourite:
 
Ingredients:  Paua (abalone,  oversized sea snail,  yadda yadda),  small onion,  cream,  salt and pepper.
 
Firstly shell your paua (however many as are required to feed people).  Use a spoon to start seperating the foot from the shell at the deepest part of the shell - NOTE - there will still be a membrane attached to the shell that you want to leave there as it contains the guts.  You will eventually come to some resistance so will need to slip a knife between to cut through the piece that firmly attaches the foot to the shell,  then continue to spoon the foot out.
 
*takes break to have another home made cider*
 
Now,  you will be concerned by the amount of stuff left in the shell.  DON'T BE.  poke it with a knife and you'll see it's all just guts and blah.
 
Slice each foot finely along the face so you have a series of "paua schnitzels",  and put them aside.
 
Slice your onion into rings,  and sautee in butter until soft BUT NOT BROWN.
 
Add paua and cover in cream.  Simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.
 
Enjoy!!!

[drinksgin (deceased)]

Sounds about like cooking conch, but without having to pulverize it with a hammer, like conch.

[jesusgecko]

If you cut the paua vertically like you would with most critters,  then you would be dealing with a piece of boot leather,  just like your conch.....unless of course you beat the living daylight out of it first.....once again,  like your conch.

[22hornet]

conch.....unless of course you beat the living daylight out of it first......

 
The term is "tenderising"....:D
 
I love abalone, but its very expensive. When I used to do alot of diving I could usually pick up a few.

[jesusgecko]

love abalone, but its very expensive. When I used to do alot of diving I could usually pick up a few.

you need to head over the ditch old bean.  When the tides are right you hardly even need to get your feet wet!!!

[gitano]

Another good reason to head to Kiwiland.
 
To quote 22hornet, "I love abalone."
 
Paul

[jesusgecko]

Just to rub it in,  I got another limit last night.  As per last time,  there were folk in water up to their necks,  but I was doing marvellously in shallow puddles.  One bloke thought I was after catseyes I was so far in this time!!!  I suspect that seeing as everyone is annoying further out,  they are able to regroup in close,  AND get bigger unmolested - as yesterdays lot may well show.
Bit of info I'll keep hidden from the locals for the meantime I think.....

[Jamie.270]

Pictures would sure be great JG! (hint, hint)  

I love abalone as well.  I've never had the chance to catch and/or clean any tho,...
As long as it isn't overcooked that is (can you say tire patch?).  Too many people seem to think any kind of shellfish/bivalve needs to be cooked to death.  I used to cook it just long enough.  Seems to me it was about 1-1/2 min per side in a mix of evoo and butter.  Nothing added but a little garlic maybe.

[jesusgecko]

There we are good sir,  these pics are in another thread somewhere,  but those be the beasts.
I didn't take any pics of last night's ones as I just wanted to get them shelled,  get showered,  and get to bed.
 
Limit here is ten per person,  and the size for us is 8.5cm for blackfooted,  and 8cm for yellowfoot.  Rest of the country is 12.5 for blackfoot.  Supposedly ours are smaller than the rest of the country - but I honestly believe it is due to poaching and pillaging.  A lot end up over in China.  BIG blackmarket dollars I believe,  but BIG dollars in fines and vehicle confiscations if you get caught - just as it should be.

[gitano]

Do you eat the urchin (Strongelocentrotus purpurata) roe too?
 
Those abalone are WAY too small for collection here. I think the minimum is 8" (~20 cm) for blacks, and we have several that are "listed". (Meaning they are on the endangered species list.) When I was very young, my uncle Harvey used to collect them in Santa Monica. He brought one home one day that was 19". Most of the ones I used to collect in Baja were in the 8 to 10" range. A 10-incher was a big one.
 
Paul
 
PS - now that I look at them closer, I don't think those are S. purpurata. But unless I am sorely mistaken, they ARE urchins of some type.

[jesusgecko]

I don't think those are S. purpurata. But unless I am sorely mistaken, they ARE urchins of some type.

dead right there,  they are Evechinus chloroticus,  Maori name kina.  Yes,  a type of sea urchin,  and I most definitely eat the strips of roe from those little suckers!!!
 
A 19" abalone?  I'd love to see that on my plate.

[gitano]

A 19" abalone? I'd love to see that on my plate.

I wish I still had the shell!
 
Paul