Abalone can be served fresh or canned, and there are many ways to cook it.
The best way to appreciate the unique, crave-inducing flavor is to pan-fry it.It takes a bit of time to pound all the slices, but it's an important step that will make the abalone tough and chewy.
Abalone can only be picked in certain areas with a license.They can't be bought legally.Farmed abalone can be purchased.They are the same size as wild ones.Since farmed abalone is younger than wild ones, they have a less intense flavor, which is a plus or a minus depending on how much you like it.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to remove the dark sac of viscera, cut off the rubbery lip around the edge of the abalone and scrub the rest of it clean.
Cut the cleaned abalone in half.To tenderize the slices, use a meat tenderizer or the back of a large metal spoon to gently tap each slice until the texture goes from stiff to limp.