Fish
Purple Sea Urchin
A tier
Purple sea urchin is the common name cooks use for Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and similar dark-spined Pacific urchins sold whole or as uni. Expect assertive ocean sweetness when peak and a coppery bitterness when past prime. Buy from fishmongers who turn stock daily. Whole purple urchins make dramatic service if you open them tableside on ice.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Tray UniWhole Crack
Traits
BoldDramatic WholeMarket NameOceanicStrong FlavourVisualWest Coast
History
US
West Coast menus listed purple sea urchin as local sushi luxury.
Tray packs labelled purple urchin uni competed with imported Japanese grades.