Eating
Urchins:In an Italian market you might find them called Frutta di la mare or "fruit of the sea." Japanese call them uni, and consume millions of pounds each year. Some divers call them pin cushions, or some other unmentionable name when they place their hand on one. Most, however, simply call them urchins.
The sea urchin is a member of the echinoderm order and is related to sea stars and sea cucumbers, and sand dollars. Many do not consider them to be edible, and think of them as something to be smashed up and as fish food. In some parts of the world, urchins are toxic and should not be eaten. However, in California there are two species that are not only edible but are considered choice. The red urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus) is considered the best of the California urchins. Over 50 million pounds were taken from California waters in 1988 alone and about 85 percent of that was exported to Japan. The somewhat less desirable purple urchin (S. Purpuratus) is also exported, but in smaller amounts.
To catch urchins you'll need a knife or abalone iron to pry them from the rock, thick gloves, and a bag with which to carry your catch. Urchins are easy to catch. Simply pry them off their rock, pop them in your bag and off you go. Divers may take 35 urchins per day and there is no closed season or size limit. You do need a California sport fishing license. Urchin may be found through the Channel Islands, offshore of Southern California, and along California's North coast. Large animals are absent from sea otter country, except in very deep water.
Once back on the beach, you need to clean and prepare your catch. The only edible part of the urchin are the gonads or roe. Lucky, other than the shell, the roe is the heaviest part of the urchin. Cut a hole or "test" around the mouth on the underside of the urchin. Drain out the fluid, and run your finger along the inside of the shell to dislodge the roe. Pour the roe out and rinse, but do not soak, in cold, fresh water.
Urchin roe can vary from cream-colored to yellow to orange. The lighter the color the milder the flavor. The roe has a creamy, almost sweet flavor. Urchin may be eaten raw with a little wasabi and soy sauce, or on French bread with a little lemon juice. Alternatively, it may be quickly sauteed with a little butter. Bon appétit!
Bruce Watkins is a regular contributor to California Diving News and hundreds of his articles and photographs have appeared in various magazines. He is the author of A Diver's Guide to Monterey County, published by Saint Brendan Corp.
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