Abalone

The best specimens of these highly prized mollusks come from Japan, where they are harvested and dried for export. Although abalones exist in waters throughout Asia, particularly off Taiwan, none satisfies the Chinese desire for perfection like those from Japan, and the Chinese will cheerfully pay whatever is asked for a tender whole abalone, or bao yu, perfectly braised in rich stock. The smooth meat rests on a lustrous mother-of-pearl bed inside of a shell with a rough exterior, and is customarily eaten only after a long soaking and braising process. Abalones are rarely eaten fresh, except for those small abalone called nine holes, because of the nine small pinholes in its shell. In the United States abalones are harvested along the California coast. They are pounded thin, breaded, and fried and are quite good. But in China they would never be eaten that way. Store dried abalones in a tightly covered container in a cool, dry place until using.