All the secrets of a precious seafood famous in the east and increasingly in demand in our designer kitchens
Maybe during your holidays, you met his shell. Maybe you stopped to pick it up and admired its beautiful mother of pearl. But inside that wonderful natural jewel, there was another. L'abalone is in fact one of the most requested seafood currently on the haute cuisine market, finally landed in the signature dishes in Europe after being the object of desire of the Orientals for years.
The origin
The company will bring it to Italian restaurants Longino & Cardenal that for thirty years travel the world in search of unique and delicious ingredients intended for haute cuisine pantries.
But although this seafood is widespread in Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands, the meeting took place closer than expected. In fact, in Spain, on the far north west, it is present the largest Abalone cultivation in Europe managed by the Galician Marine Acquaculture. Founded in 2003, it is a true pioneer in the development of high quality abalone.
Where to taste it
With increasing diffusion, abalone is tiptoeing into the kitchens of the greatest chefs. However, we offer you two addresses that have given space to this mollusk by inserting it in creative preparations and offering a state-of-the-art tasting. Let's start from the heart of Milan with MAIO, the restaurant located on the seventh floor of La Rinascente in Piazza del Duomo. Here the chef Luca Seveso will make you taste the most refined soul of this delicacy. At the Kreisos in Telese Terme instead, it will be the turn of chef Giuseppe Iannotti ready to amaze you and have fun with a gastronomic journey tailored for you.
How to prepare it
Quoted by the Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa in the volume "Nobu all recipes", abalone is not a simple cooking seafood. In order not to harden, its flesh requires either one very fast cooking or a long and very slow one. For this reason, it is often served and eaten raw after being cut into thin slices.
At this point it also lends itself to being seasoned with a Mediterranean dressing such as extra virgin olive oil and lemon or tasted naturally with a little salt. But if you're not a fan of raw foods, one of the simplest recipes comes from California. L'Californian abalone is a true celebrity on the coast and get ready like this.
Take 4 clean abalone and leave to marinate for 15 minutes in a sauce prepared with 2 eggs and two tablespoons of whiskey. At this point, a pan with frying oil is put on the fire, the abalone are breaded in the breadcrumbs and fried until golden brown. At this point they can be served on a salad of mixed salad, on creams and citrus sauces or simply with a few slices of lemon.