I’ve had the chance to dine on just about every edible sea creature our local waters provide. Some I didn’t try a second time—the oyster toadfish, the pin-bone-laden conger eel, and the skate I filleted incorectly all come to mind. But along the way, I’ve managed to find a few hidden gems. What follows is a collection of recipes featuring obscure local seafood that you should try in 2024.
If you haven’t done so yet, you must give periwinkles a try. They are perhaps the sweetest of the meats found in the sea and are truly delicious when dipped in butter.
Many people don’t realize it, but these little creatures are actually an invasive species. They first arrived in the mid-1800s and are now found clinging to just about every intertidal rock along the entire East Coast. It’s believed they came from Britain, where to this day, the periwinkle remains a delicacy. Some scholars suggest they were brought over intentionally by settlers looking for a dependable year-round food source.
Finding them is easy, but finding the big ones can take some looking. Head out to any rocky shoreline at low tide and collect the largest specimens you can find. Steam them up in seawater for about four to five minutes. I use a toothpick to pry the meat out of the shells, but don’t forget to remove the small, hard operculum, or foot, which periwinkles use to glue themselves to rocks. Dip them in melted butter, and you are in for a treat.
Summer in a Bowl, Italian Style a la Nobska
- 1/2 pound periwinkles, rinsed
- 1/2 pound mussels and/or clams
- 2 tablespoons of good-quality olive oil (plus more for garnish)
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup of chopped onion
- Dash of red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)
- 1 cup diced tomatoes (garden fresh are always best, but you can use canned or even tomato sauce in a pinch)
- 1 cup of good red wine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
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Dave Pops Masch taught me a recipe something like this when we worked together on Penikese Island.