Ormers (and Abalone)

[Wyshiepoo]

Mod. Edit: post moved from another thread to start new topic.

Yes, ormers, a species of abalone. Absolutely delicious. I prefer mine shucked, trimmed lightly pounded with a meat tenderiser, sprinkled with a smidgeon of garlic salt, lightly coated in seasoned flour and then gently fried.

 

[Wyshiepoo]

 

[Morning Glory]

I so much want to try these. I always wondered if they were the same as abalone (which I also haven't ever tried). I think both are impossible to source in the UK.
I will look out the Jersey recipe for ormers from an odd little post war cook book I have...

 

[Wyshiepoo]

Yes, most peeps tend to go for ormer casserole but I think it spoils the taste.

Incidentally the name allegedly comes from orielles de mer, (sp?) or ear of the sea, as the shell looks a little like an ear.

 

[Morning Glory]

Here we go:

 

[Wyshiepoo]

The little greenish blob towards the top of the frying pan is the guts of the ormer, also known as 'the goodfish', not sure why it's known as such.

It's one of those 'Marmite things', opinion is pretty much divided on it's taste. I like it, but generally only when cooked with the main part of the ormer.

 

[Wyshiepoo]

I so much want to try these. I always wondered if they were the same as abalone (which I also haven't ever tried). I think both are impossible to source in the UK.
I will look out the Jersey recipe for ormers from an odd little post war cook book I have...

I think there was a hatchery set up in Cornwall some years ago but not sure if it still survives.


Ormer gathering is strictly controlled over here, no diving for them allowed, either aqualung or snorkel.

They can only be gathered from December to April and only on the day of the new moon and full moon and the two days thereafter.

You are also not allowed to freeze them and eat them later as you cannot then prove when they were gathered, although many people do this, probably feeling that the ruling is more to do with stopping commercial amounts rather than someone storing half a dozen extra ormers.

The fines for anyone convicted can run to several hundred pounds.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52YjCF94Ips

 

[Morning Glory]

They can only be gathered from December to April and only on the day of the new moon and full moon and the two days thereafter.

How weird - is the moon thing just traditional or does it have a purpose?

 

[Morning Glory]

@rascal have you ever had these:

New Zealand Blue Abalone: These stunning electric blue abalone are raised in the north of New Zealand from the pristine clear waters of Bream Bay.

https://www.thefishsociety.co.uk/shop/abalone.html

 

[Morning Glory]

I found an on-line source (French ones) but they cost £5 each! Plus £10 delivery charge...

 

[Wyshiepoo]

How weird - is the moon thing just traditional or does it have a purpose?

It limits the days that you can go, preserving stocks but also the two moon phases are the times of the biggest spring tides each month. As we are within the bay of St. Malo we get some of the biggest tide swings in Europe, 10m on a big spring.

 

[Morning Glory]

It limits the days that you can go, preserving stocks but also the two moon phases are the times of the biggest spring tides each month. As we are within the bay of St. Malo we get some of the biggest tide swings in Europe, 10m on a big spring.

Makes perfect sense!

 

[rascal]

@rascal have you ever had these:



https://www.thefishsociety.co.uk/shop/abalone.html

We call it Paua here, pronounced par wah. We get it from kaikoura where they recently had big earthquakes that raised sea beds by about 4 metres. My son used to dive in about 5 foot of water in a local spot not known by many. I mince them up with onion egg and breadcrumbs and fry. They are really yummy. I make them twice a year.

Russ

 

[rascal]

We also have a seafood called toheroa, these are off limits as numbers were low, but they are coming back. I'm told,lol. These are really nice. Wink wink.

Russ