Urchin! They're back...

A couple of years ago, after seeing The Hundred Foot Journey, D was determined to try urchin; read about his First Urchin. We were able to track down some live urchin for him to cook; he made a Spiced Coconut Sea Urchin Soup. And, ever since, he's been wanting to get his hands on more urchin for another recipe. But we have been unsuccessful for about 18 months now. Even our CSF hasn't had any available for purchase. Boo.

So, when a good friend called me this morning and said that there was live urchin at Wharf 2 - and would I like her to pick some up for me - I thanked her, loaded the boys in the car, and headed over there to pick up a few.

Success! We went next door and picked up some fresh mussels, too. Recipe coming soon! D did ask, "Mom, how many should we get?"

How many are you willing to clean? It's your recipe.

"I'll clean three," he answered confidently.

How to Clean Fresh Sea Urchin

Step One: Marvel at the urchin...in all its intimidating glory.

Step Two: Run a knife or cut along the soft spot in the bottom and remove the teeth.

Step Three: Use sharp kitchen snips to cut the urchin in half - or make a large enough circle in the bottom that you can reach all the way to the top of the shell.

Step Four: Clean all the muck away from the roe.

Step Five: Place the roe in ice water until you're ready to eat.

I used them in our first course. Recipe coming soon.

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