Limpets are great!

[gsfgaz]

i love most seafood , but i dont like limpet's, they r like chewing a rubber band ..
not for me ...

 

[TJRoots]

i've only had them boiled (for too long might i add) and i liked the flavour but they were much too chewy, but i think that is most likely down to boiling them for too long. will have to try the flat rock idea, problem is my local beach is eastbourne which is a big tourist place so i'd get some odd looks having a fire going on the beach. oh well theyre only tourists

TJ

 

[John Fenna]

I am firmly in the "they are seemingly edible - but you gatta be reeeeeeel hungry" camp on thid one!

 

[Asa Samuel]

I am firmly in the "they are seemingly edible - but you gatta be reeeeeeel hungry" camp on thid one!

From reading your posts in the other limpet threads I know all about your views on limpets!

 

[al21]

I've tried them several times. The first time being rather unimpressed, but every now and then I see someone like Mr Mears or Hugh FW enthusing over them and think I'll give them another go. Every time I do though I think; nice flavour, but texture like a pencil rubber.

 

[ocean1975]

I treid limpets for the fist time last weekend and got to say i like them.I put them in a small pan and cooked them on the fire for short time and they were good.

 

[andy_e]

Limpets are one of my favourite shoreline forage-ables. I was out on the Ayrshire coast with a friend at the weekend there, fed him limpets for first time. Cooked simply, in their shells upside down in the embers until done. After the first batch he was off for more - another convert

The winkles were good too, boiled in a bit of salty water and picked out with a sewing needle, lovely.

Edit: Over-cooked they are a bit rubbery - but if you watch them and catch them at just right moment, they have bite but no more than properly cooked squid.

 

[Nagual]

Limpets are one of my favourite shoreline forage-ables. I was out on the Ayrshire coast with a friend at the weekend there, fed him limpets for first time. Cooked simply, in their shells upside down in the embers until done. After the first batch he was off for more - another convert

The winkles were good too, boiled in a bit of salty water and picked out with a sewing needle, lovely.

Edit: Over-cooked they are a bit rubbery - but if you watch them and catch them at just right moment, they have bite but no more than properly cooked squid.

Andy, any idea how long it was they took, or what the 'ready' signs are? I've tried a couple and came to the conclusion, that they were over cooked. If I could get them softer, they certainly would be on my, eat a few more often list of wild foods.

 

[andy_e]

Hard to say exactly Nag - it's more that when done they look cooked where they still looked uncooked a second or two ago - if you over-cook one and compare it with a fresh one - the fresh one looks a lot more moist. When it just loses that moist look leave 'em for 5 - 10 seconds more then remove carefully - leatherman pliers are handy but a set of freshly whittled green-wood tongs will work just as well. Also, I've found if you cook them shell point down then they retain much of the "juice" so don't turn as rubbery.

 

[coastal survival]

There is a short video clip that may be of interest to you on the subject of limpets and cooking shell fish. hope it helps. http://www.foragingcourses.com/edible-seashore

 

[Andy BB]

There is a short video clip that may be of interest to you on the subject of limpets and cooking shell fish. hope it helps. http://www.foragingcourses.com/edible-seashore

Thanks for that post re the edible seashore course - just booked the last place on it for tomorrow!

 

[FGYT]

Thanks for that post re the edible seashore course - just booked the last place on it for tomorrow!

pretty sure its hte same course ..my ,mate is booked on short, bald, big nose

Have fun

 

[chickenofthewoods]

I do them like this: Run a short sharp knifeblade round inside the shell to pop the little dude out, flip him over and quickly cut away the intestinal parts and head. Then you're left with just the meaty foot. Rinse to remove any black bits left from from the intestines and pop them into a bowl with some crushed garlic and fresh lemon juice (you could add a dash of tabasco if you like too). Leave for 20 minutes to marinade and meantime oil & heat up a heavy griddle pan. Pop the limpets onto the griddle, giving each side a minute or so (they curl very slightly). They should be firm textured - but not like tyre rubber - and succulent. I add them to paella and pasta dishes.

 

[Minstrel]

As mentioned by Andybysea I gave them a shot while beach camping. They were fine raw and better cooked I could definitely see them working in a paella...yeah. As an aside to this, I've been working on the beach near Prestatyn the last 7 weeks and have really got into eating Samphire (Glasswort) You can munch it raw but washed, cooked for 5 mins or so on my Trangia, and eaten with either lemon juice or butter and pepper...it's amazing..and prolific too.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Funny you should mention marsh samphire, I've been out picking it today. Lightly streamed it's a fantastic veg, as is sea purslane which is fortunate as the two are often found in the same locations here. The simplest and best meal is fish cooked in paper with new spuds and samphire/sea purslane. A squeeze of lemon, a good blob of butter and a very light seasoning and you have heaven on a plate.

 

[Minstrel]

...
, as is sea purslane which is fortunate as the two are often found in the same locations here. The simplest and best meal is fish cooked in paper with new spuds and samphire/sea purslane.

Wicked...I had no idea I could eat Sea Purslane too...do you just eat the leaves? Raw or cooked? (Sorry for the thread hijack)