violet (1) the French name for a sort of edible sea creature which does not have a current English name, although it may sometimes be referred to as a ‘sea squirt’. These creatures, known as ascidians, belong to the family Pyuridae in the order Stolidobranchiata, and occur in various species around the world, although not everywhere regarded as edible.
In the Mediterranean, Microcosmus sulcatus reaches a dimension of 20 cm (8") and is not uncommon in the markets, especially those of Provence. It is the yellow part inside which is eaten, raw, looking something like scrambled egg.
