Manresa’s Abalone, Meuniere Style

Serves 4

For this classic preparation from Manresa in Los Gatos, you should purchase the abalone the day before and shuck it so that it can “relax” overnight, which will prevent it from splitting when pounded. 4 (3- to 4-inch) live abalone, in their shells (about 4-5 ounces each, including shell) 1 cup all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice Fleur de sel, or sea salt

Instructions: The day before: Shuck the abalone (see Page 6) and put it on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. This will relax the abalone and prevent it from splitting when it is pounded.

The day of serving: Tenderize the abalone to ½ inch thick (see Page 6). Return the abalone to its plate and cover with plastic wrap.

When ready to serve, toss each abalone in flour, shaking off excess. Do not season with salt; abalone tend to have a high natural salinity.

Heat the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. When the butter stops sizzling and begins to foam, add the abalone flat side down to the pan. Gently shake the pan constantly and allow the butter to slowly turn a hazelnut brown with a nutty aroma. After about 2 minutes, turn the abalone over and saute another minute on the foot side. The abalone and the butter should both be nutty brown. Add the parsley and lemon juice and shake the pan to coat with the juices.

Place the abalone on a plate and spoon some of the lemony juices over each serving. Adjust seasoning with a pinch of fleur de sel, or sea salt, if needed.