Kona Abalone is highly sought after at Fine Dining eateries throughout the US and abroad. I visited the Big Island Kona, Hawaii at the aquaculture Abalone farm in Kona several years back. It was quite fascinating to know that they pump the water from depths of 3,000 feet deep to have that pristine and cold temperature ocean water into the tanks where it becomes a nourishing haven for the abalone. It was a fascinating tour which I recommend you to go. I was excited to know that they finally opened a storefront location here in Honolulu.
The abalone is easy to prepare. Some would rinse with salt, where I just rinsed under tap water. Then carefully run your knife under the abalone to separate from the shell. Really easy! The most important thing to know is do not rush and be very careful not to cut yourself. As mentioned in the video, some people eat it sashimi style (or raw), so you really don’t need to fully cook it through. You can do ceviche style too! Cooking method to me is like handling shrimp where you don’t want to overcook it and get rubbery.
We dashed salt and pepper and flavored with garlic, butter and a twist of lemon…magical! It’s an elegant dish where you slice it thin and place it back on the shell for presentation. So, a sip of wine and a taste of abalone…life is good!
