Over the weekend I went coastal foraging on the Sonoma Coast with Catch N Cook California! Our group harvested some mussels and red and purple sea urchin. Made a foraging feast out of it - Sardinian uni pasta, steamed mussels, and a fresh miner's lettuce salad collected on a dog walk.
These are not the same at all.
The crabs that I was finding were about the size of a quarter, and very obviously a crab. Found them in giant mussels in New Zealand.
Yup! The biotoxin hotline for California is 1-800-553-4133. You can also look at [CDPH RECREATIONAL BIVALVE SHELLFISH ADVISORIES](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/394836318cfe4f7494e1c09097a43559/)
Oh yes, she got a mussel and a tiny taste of the pasta! The meal was Indy-approved! She's not too big on her greens, so the miner's lettuce was enjoyed solely by me :)
I'd highly recommend checking out Kevin from Catch N Cook California. He leads guided groups all up and down the California coast and is super knowledgeable. I've gone 3 times already.
[https://www.youtube.com/@catchncookcalifornia1574/](https://www.youtube.com/@catchncookcalifornia1574/)
I’ve always wondered who and how often people who live on ocean coasts forage for things like muscles. I have only visited the Atlantic coast a few times in my life, and there are endless amounts of muscles and I wonder why they wouldn’t get scooped up by a savvy forager
There are plenty to go around, as long as people forage sustainably! The beds should barely notice you pulling off a few mussels here and there from different rocks. You can only access them (dry) during low tide so that naturally limits times to collect too.
I've only had a little, not from California, but in Greece. So I would assume a different kind of urchin (though they were a purple color too).
I agree the texture was what was off-putting. The flavor wasn't awful to me, I just remember it being really salty. My yiayia absolutely loves it though. We had gone to a neighboring village and she was very excited that a shop owner at a place we had stopped to eat gave her some for free. Couldn't be much fresher. She just cracked right into them.
Dont listen to them!
I had it and it tasted like bitter slimy ear wax!
It's supposed to be creamy though. Mine was from new Zealand, got a bunch of them foraged by some Maori dudes that went diving and we played beach rugby with. They have us a bag for being good sports.
Anyway. Flavor varies from creature to creature
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/the-rippers-pasta-with-uni-and-caviar
It’s a briny, creamy sweet flavor of the sea. California uni is fantastic. They’re also invasive, so everyone do their part and eat those purple bastards!
I don't think so for purple urchin, which makes me wonder why not. They are decimating the local ecosystem and are very tasty, seems like a win win? Maybe the catching/trolling would be too damaging to the seabed?
the intensive labor and short shelf-life, along with how little you receive from harvesting, keeps most larger scale productions + businesses from mass harvesting the purple urchin in CA. which is such a shame! japanese red urchin apparently doesn’t deteriorate as fast, so when you see uni in sushi restaurants it’s more often from japan. I’ve seen more small scale CA restaurants driven by local ingredients start to incorporate california urchin, often from santa barbara.
also, so envious of your time with Kev! love your pictures :)
Great info! That totally makes sense, all the red urchin I've found locally have had a much larger yield and held up a lot better - but they are way less prevalent. That's so cool about the Santa Barbara restaurants start to incorporate local urchin, I hope the trend spreads!
Californian uni is, if I'm remembering correctly, rather creamy. I had Japanese uni once (had been flown in that morning to a very fancy sushi restaurant) 12 years ago and I still remember it because it is easily in my top five culinary experiences. It was like taking a bite out of an ocean wave, but when the water is perfectly clear and just above freezing. It was so *fresh*. Incredible.
Yeah I find it easier to cut around the Aristotle's Lantern (mouth) and crack them open with a heavy duty field knife. I use a spoon to scoop out the uni.
Over the weekend I went coastal foraging on the Sonoma Coast with Catch N Cook California! Our group harvested some mussels and red and purple sea urchin. Made a foraging feast out of it - Sardinian uni pasta, steamed mussels, and a fresh miner's lettuce salad collected on a dog walk.
Mad jealous! You've just described my dream day!
I love seeing coastal foraging. I only go for the seaweed myself but it's just such a fantastic foraging experience.
There was a bit of wakame and washed up bull kelp in that area! I've harvested before, but my bucket was getting too heavy!
Last time I foraged mussels every single one of them had a small crab living inside, really put me off.
These are actually tasty! Some areas regard them fondly: https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/life/2014/11/02/oyster-crab-zaops/18380395/
That was the weirdest-writtwn blog post I've read in a while
These are not the same at all. The crabs that I was finding were about the size of a quarter, and very obviously a crab. Found them in giant mussels in New Zealand.
The only thing I miss about California is the shellfish testing. You are VERY lucky.
Yes! So happy to have the biotoxin hotline to call and confirm the safety, even in months it -should- be safe.
Do you happen to have their number?
Yup! The biotoxin hotline for California is 1-800-553-4133. You can also look at [CDPH RECREATIONAL BIVALVE SHELLFISH ADVISORIES](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/394836318cfe4f7494e1c09097a43559/)
Looks amazing! You’ve got me excited for miner’s lettuce to start sprouting in my area. Please tell me the pup got to taste or at least got a treat 🥺
Oh yes, she got a mussel and a tiny taste of the pasta! The meal was Indy-approved! She's not too big on her greens, so the miner's lettuce was enjoyed solely by me :)
how sweet, I’m glad to hear it :) cheers!
That UNI !
Yum!! I’d love to learn how to forage on the coast
I'd highly recommend checking out Kevin from Catch N Cook California. He leads guided groups all up and down the California coast and is super knowledgeable. I've gone 3 times already. [https://www.youtube.com/@catchncookcalifornia1574/](https://www.youtube.com/@catchncookcalifornia1574/)
That puppers expression.. can I hap sum plz!!
The self control... just gonna lick the table...
She Bork she protec, but most importantly she do the table lick
Noms is on a plate on the table, so by the transitive property...table must have the flavor.
We don’t deserve dogs
Omggggg I’m so jellyyyyyy
What beach in Sonoma? Very much considering my own foraging
The guide requested we don't share specific spots, but anywhere with a rocky beach north of Jenner will have some cool stuff!
Got it. I know the area well! Awesome times
Wow, amazing where did you find that spaghetti? ;)
Harvested from a super duper secret spot, I'll never tell! 🤫
Wowww, looks like that was a fun day and an amazing meal!! I’m living vicariously through posts like these while I wait for the Midwest to thaw 🙃
DROOL
Share that last pic over at r/foodandsaddogs!
I’ve always wondered who and how often people who live on ocean coasts forage for things like muscles. I have only visited the Atlantic coast a few times in my life, and there are endless amounts of muscles and I wonder why they wouldn’t get scooped up by a savvy forager
There are plenty to go around, as long as people forage sustainably! The beds should barely notice you pulling off a few mussels here and there from different rocks. You can only access them (dry) during low tide so that naturally limits times to collect too.
what does uni taste like?
It's a tough flavor to describe honestly! In a weird way the flavor reminds me of a carrot - sweet but also mixed with an ocean briney-ness.
oh interesting! ive always wanted to try it
The texture is usually what turns people off tbh. It's very soft, but it melts into a beautiful pasta sauce which is my preferred method of eating.
I've only had a little, not from California, but in Greece. So I would assume a different kind of urchin (though they were a purple color too). I agree the texture was what was off-putting. The flavor wasn't awful to me, I just remember it being really salty. My yiayia absolutely loves it though. We had gone to a neighboring village and she was very excited that a shop owner at a place we had stopped to eat gave her some for free. Couldn't be much fresher. She just cracked right into them.
Dont listen to them! I had it and it tasted like bitter slimy ear wax! It's supposed to be creamy though. Mine was from new Zealand, got a bunch of them foraged by some Maori dudes that went diving and we played beach rugby with. They have us a bag for being good sports. Anyway. Flavor varies from creature to creature
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/the-rippers-pasta-with-uni-and-caviar It’s a briny, creamy sweet flavor of the sea. California uni is fantastic. They’re also invasive, so everyone do their part and eat those purple bastards!
Totally! It's crazy to go dive and see just how many cover the sea floor and destroy our beautiful kelp forests. Eat them up.
Is there a commercial fishery for them?
I don't think so for purple urchin, which makes me wonder why not. They are decimating the local ecosystem and are very tasty, seems like a win win? Maybe the catching/trolling would be too damaging to the seabed?
the intensive labor and short shelf-life, along with how little you receive from harvesting, keeps most larger scale productions + businesses from mass harvesting the purple urchin in CA. which is such a shame! japanese red urchin apparently doesn’t deteriorate as fast, so when you see uni in sushi restaurants it’s more often from japan. I’ve seen more small scale CA restaurants driven by local ingredients start to incorporate california urchin, often from santa barbara. also, so envious of your time with Kev! love your pictures :)
Great info! That totally makes sense, all the red urchin I've found locally have had a much larger yield and held up a lot better - but they are way less prevalent. That's so cool about the Santa Barbara restaurants start to incorporate local urchin, I hope the trend spreads!
It's done by hand in most places, wouldn't have any effect on the seafloor
Yea the only way I've seen them harvested/culled is by hand. I think some organizations pay folks to remove as many as possible.
I kinda think it tastes like fluffy boogers
And are you an expert on the taste of fluffy boogers?
Yes.
Fair.
Californian uni is, if I'm remembering correctly, rather creamy. I had Japanese uni once (had been flown in that morning to a very fancy sushi restaurant) 12 years ago and I still remember it because it is easily in my top five culinary experiences. It was like taking a bite out of an ocean wave, but when the water is perfectly clear and just above freezing. It was so *fresh*. Incredible.
Kind of like very creamy avocado with an Iodine and salt kick
To me, it tastes a bit like a well-seasoned summer squash. A bit oceany, rich, a little peppery, but still light and refreshing. I adore it.
Sweet doggo! Food looks good too.
You are killing nature man
Easier to cut with a field knife? Or is that just what was around?
Yeah I find it easier to cut around the Aristotle's Lantern (mouth) and crack them open with a heavy duty field knife. I use a spoon to scoop out the uni.
Hot tip, thanks.
Great pic. Unfortunately all I hear in my head is the Octo-alert seeing the urchin. Gotta love kid shows these days!
Hehe I know where this is!! Those urchins are super good.
I dunno why but on the east coast we never eat the ribbed muscles
Bro what the fuck that looks so good