A Cook's California

In this recipe we take care to provide flavors that cover the tastes of salty, bitter, sweet and tart to enhance and

Brown Butter Basted Abalone

highlight the abalone. The success of this dish is based on two factors: keeping all flavors gentle and in balance and starting with pounded (tenderized) abalone steaks, cooking them very briefly so they don’t toughen. For a detailed explanation of how to prepare abalone for cooking see the article called Abalone Steaks.

Serves Four

12 ounces abalone meat, sliced, pounded and lightly salted
1 pound small yellow finish or fingerling potatoes (do not peel)
2 Tablespoons orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced shallot or green onion
½ teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
1 lemon, cut into thin rounds
1 stick salted butter

Boil the potatoes until tender, remove and cool just until you can handle them. In the meantime combine orange and lemon juices, olive oil, shallots and salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice into thick round and toss gently with the dressing in the bowl. Add the spinach and toss to lightly wilt. Place on four dinner plates.

Heat a large skillet to medium-high. Add the butter and melt completely, letting the froth subside and the butter start to turn brown. Quickly add the abalone, a few at a time, cooking 20-30 seconds per side. Remove and place on the salads as they finish. When all slices are cooked, add the sliced lemon rounds to the skillet, turning once to warm through. Garnish the abalone with the slices.

Serve at once.