By BOBBY HUEN
What Exactly Is Abalone And Why Do We Love It So Much?
Revered for their exquisite flavor, abalones are a remarkable group of shellfish in the Haliotis family of sea snail that thrive on rocky shorelines with underwater vegetation.
Abalones span a range of sizes, contingent on factors such as their species and age. These shellfish can be as petite as a coin or as substantial as 12 inches or more in length.
They have a very hard and dense texture and, like many seafoods, a briny and sweet flavor common to shellfish when eaten raw. Younger abalones have milder flavors.
This hearty mollusk is so delicious that it has been hunted to the brink of extinction, which is why sustainable abalone farms have become the norm.
There are many ways to cook and eat abalone, and various cultures across the globe have created mouth-watering abalone dishes.
For example, in Korea, one of the most notable ways to prepare abalone is to make a rice porridge called Jeonbokjuk. It’s chopped up and cooked with rice, spices, and veggies.
The mollusk will cook until softened, resulting in a taste that’s strongly of the sea, but tempered and softened by the aromatics it simmers with.
Abalones are also nutritious and contain a significant portion of the daily recommended intake of Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Cobalamin (Vitamin B12), and Vitamin E.
Abalone is also a significant source of your daily intake of minerals, including copper, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium. However, it is also high in cholesterol and sodium.