Wild Sea Anemone, Sand Garlic
A coastal delicacy that behaves like nothing else on the counter: soft enough to give under a spoon, firm enough to hold its shape through a long simmer.
What It Is
The cleaned body of a sea anemone, sold along the coast as sand garlic. The frilled tentacle crown is trimmed back and the muscular base is left whole, so each piece is part soft edge, part dense centre. It takes on the flavour of whatever it is cooked in, which is why it is nearly always paired with pork, ginger or a strong stock.
Where It Comes From
Gathered by hand from rocky shoreline at low tide, then cleaned in seawater and frozen the same day. Nothing is dredged, so the pieces come up whole and free of grit.
Specifications
| Species | Sea anemone, Actiniaria |
| Form | Cleaned body, frill trimmed |
| Net weight | 2 kg per box |
| Size | About 80 to 150 g per piece |
| Packing | Frozen, bagged |
State on Arrival
Frozen in a block that separates into pieces with a little pressure. The tissue should be pale and translucent with no dark grit in the folds and no sour smell once thawed.
Storage and Thawing
Hold at -18 C or colder. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then rinse under cold running water and open each piece out to check the folds for sand. Blanch for 30 seconds in boiling water before braising; it firms the tissue so it does not collapse in the pot. Do not refreeze.
Shelf Life and Delivery
Best within 9 months of the production date on the box. Ships in an insulated liner with dry ice and arrives hard frozen.
How to Cook It
It gives up a lot of water, so reduce the sauce harder than you think you need to.
- Vermicelli soup simmer the blanched pieces in pork or chicken stock for 20 minutes, add soaked rice vermicelli and a slice of ginger, and finish with white pepper.
- Braise sear with ginger and scallion, add soy, rice wine and a little rock sugar, and braise covered for 25 minutes.
- Stir-fry cut into strips, toss in a very hot wok with garlic, chilli and spring onion for 2 minutes.
- Hot pot drop the blanched pieces into the broth 5 minutes before you sit down and let them poach at the table.
Allergen Information
Contains sea anemone, a cnidarian rather than a fish or shellfish. Anyone with a known seafood allergy should take medical advice before trying it.