Sea Urchin, A Spiny Delicacy!

Although eating the spiny and potentially dangerous sea urchin can seem odd, it is actually considered a delicacy in many places around the world. This special and savory seafood is popular in Japan, Chile, the Mediterranean, and even the United States' West Coast. 

Sea urchins are consumed in a number of ways, including raw and cooked. They're better eaten with neutral-flavored foods like pasta or toast because of their delicate flavor. So what does it taste like? Many who have tried one sometimes struggle to describe the flavor. It is compared to oysters because of its sweet, but strong ocean flavor.

Separating the orange meat from the spiny shell's internal walls is the secret to eating tasty sea urchin, or uni as it's named in Japan. The reproductive organs of the sea urchin are represented by these five orange parts.

Its edible component, the roe, has a briny, sweet flavor. When roe is combined with hot pasta, it melts and produces a rich sauce. The top quality, called California Gold, or B-grade California Premium, which has a slightly lighter texture, provides the majority of the American sea-urchin supply. Since the roe is perishable, cook it as soon as possible.

Sea Urchin With Linguine

Ingredients

½ pound linguine or spaghetti

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon kosher salt

3 of red chile flakes, divided

¾ to 1 1/4 oz. sea-urchin roe* (5 to 8 pieces; from 1 or 2 sea urchins), cut into 1-in. pieces

2 teaspoons minced flat-leaf parsley leaves

Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, uncovered, until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, put oil and garlic in a small frying pan and heat over medium heat. As soon as garlic begins to sizzle, remove pan from heat and set aside. Warm two pasta bowls between wet paper towels in a microwave, 20 seconds.

Step 2

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and return to pot. Pour garlic oil into pasta. Add lemon juice, salt, 2 pinches of chile flakes, and half of sea-urchin roe. Toss quickly with tongs to coat well, then swirl in the pasta cooking water.

Step 3

Divide pasta between warmed bowls (including any liquid) and top with remaining roe, a pinch of chile flakes, and parsley.

Step 4

*Good fish shops and Japanese markets will either carry sea-urchin roe or order it for you. You can also buy online from San Diego's Apex Wild Seafood (apexwildseafood.com; $46 for 120 grams of cleaned top-grade roe, about 15 pieces).

credits for recipe: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sea-urchin-linguine-ricci-del-mar-linguine

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/el/photos/%CE%BF-%CE%B1%CF%87%CE%B9%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%B8%CE%AC%CE%BB%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%83%CE%B1-%CE%B2%CF%8C%CF%84%CF%83%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B1-%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%AF%CE%B1-2496947/