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I've been thinking about harvesting some urchins for a while but after reading that recipe I'm going to try it for sure.
We've got some really big white coloured urchins in the areas I fish and it seems they are now farming them further North as they become more popular-
Scotland cashes in on growing taste for urchins - Environment - The Independent
what do you want?!?! a feckin bar code! :head
I don't know what your terrain/conditions are like but we have many areas that are urchin barrens where the urchins have eaten everything so it is just rocky bottom and urchins. Previously I had taken urchins from those areas since they were so numerous. Tasted okay but tiny tounges. I did some research and last time grabbed some from small colonies in deeper water in a healthy kelp forrest with much better results--better tasting uni, tounges 2 or 3 times larger than the ones starving in the barrens.
Give me strength! It would appear the longer you're stuck out in the N Sea the more psychotic you're becoming
Barcodes will not stick to urchins, you should know that by now!
I wouldn't say our urchin populations are out of control in any way but they do seem to be relatively large compared to the ones I've seen discussed here. Typically they are around 4-5 inch diameter.
They do seem to prefer the rocky areas and there are fewer in the more mixed sandy/rocky terrain.
urchins can be kept unopened for couple of days, maybe three. To transport them put them in a box with wet seaweed between each layer. They can be frozen but I would say they loose 50% of their flavour and 75% of their texture. Still great for that pasta dish above though.