Abalone

Abalone is an ingredient that is highly priced. Mainly due to their scarcity. In australia, there are regulations on abalone fishing, and a license is required. For blacklip abalones, they have to be at a size of 127mm, if taken from northern waters and 138mm if taken from southern waters. Whereas, for green lip abalones, 132mm for those taken from the north coast between perkins bay to just past bridport, and 145mm for abalone taken from all other waters.

Abalones tend to get very tough if not properly cooked. The trick is to either cook it real quick because the meat tends to toughen badly when it exceeds 50ºc or simmer it for a long time to dissolve the collagen. Female abalones are rumoured to have softer flesh. 

In Chinese cooking, abalones are commonly found in dried form, which are then rehydrated before cooking. 

In Japanese cooking, the foot of the abalone are simmered (94ºc) for long hours. It is common to find Japanese chefs serving the innards with the foot of the abalone.

Black lip abalone

To remove the foot from it's shell, place the spoon in between the shell and the foot and use the tip of the spoon to gently scrape off the muscle that is attached to the shell.

The hidden part of the abalone. With the mantle and innards still intact.

Then using a scissors or a knife to cut around the mantle and the innards of the abalone

Abalone gonad (female) still intact

 Abalone foot with mantle and innards removed. You may want to give the abalones a nice scrub to remove the moss

Through the picture you would be able to see that some of the abalone gonads are cream colored (male) and some are grayish- green (female)

Green Lip Abalone

Abalone En Croute + Lobster

Abalone + Abalone Coral + Seaweed Butter + Fresh Wasabi + Aosanori