Small anemones, what are they and all the tricks to fry them well?
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Total: 20 min Diners: 4
There is no southern Spain without sea anemones, and in the north they are also abundant in its seas, but what exactly are sea anemones and how are they cooked? Very typical of the Andalusian coast, where they have been well known for years, the sea anemones – anemona sulcata – are sea anemones whose closed season ended on March 1 and have the peculiarity that once extracted from the sea they remain fresh for a very short time, and must always be kept in the refrigerator in sea water.
They feed on small fish or crustaceans that give them a great flavor. They are a very appreciated small snack that, originally, fed the common people. It was the livelihood of many fishermen and coastal families during the post-war period, since its texture and powerful taste of the sea was not appreciated by the majority of society. However, in recent years, its demand has increased, crossing provincial and household borders and reaching the most haute cuisine restaurants. At first sight they may seem strange to us as they are green and purple with small tentacles that dance but the reality is that they are a delight with a creamy texture and powerful flavor.
They are unlike anything you have ever tasted before. No matter how much you think of a simile, you can’t find one. Iodine and seafood flavor, but with a mellow and relatively gelatinous interior. What’s more, perhaps what it resembles the most, saving distances, is a small and delicious lamb brains. So much so that the way they are cooked is almost similar. Let’s note some important things.
1) The ortiguillas must be kept very few days once they arrive home and the ideal is to have a very reliable supplier, I buy them to Ortiga de Mar that sends them to all Spain in perfect condition and of an atomic caliber. For me, the best I’ve tried.
2) I take them out of the bag as soon as I arrive and put them in a large glass jar, I pour both the sea anemones and the sea water and I put the lid on top just perched, to let some air in and oxygenate the water. I lift the lid once a day and move them slightly. This way they have lasted 4 days in the fridge.
3) Although the traditional preparation is fried, the ortiguillas can also be eaten in omelettes, they can be crushed to make sauces, we can put them in fried rice and also make them grilled with Vegetable Recipes. The possibilities are still unexplored, but there are many.
4) To fry ortiguillas it is necessary to remove the water from them as best as possible, placing them in a strainer 15 minutes before is highly recommended.
5) To fry them it is optimal to pass them through a mixture of flour for frying and corn flour, the latter in low proportions with respect to the first. Approximately 10%.
6) I recommend frying with medium-high oil, and a mixture of olive and sunflower oil that maintains the temperature well. They have to be browned on the outside to be crispy and tender inside.
The typical, ideal and most recommended if it is the first time you try the ortiguillas is to flour them and fry them in plenty of very hot oil. However, the fact that this is the most recommended way does not mean that it is the only one. You can make rice dishes, salads, magnificent omelettes in the purest Fismuler style or pasta with ortiguillas sauce in the style of La Piperna. In general, the ortiguillas are very clean anemones, which means that we do not waste any time with them, and do not require more treatment than draining the water, cooking them and, above all, enjoying them.
How to cook ortiguillas
Ingredients
24 pcs anchovies Wheat flour, 300 g Fine corn flour, 50 g Mild olive oil, 300 ml Sunflower oil, 100 ml
Step 1
Remove the ortiguillas half an hour before from their container and let them rest on a strainer so that they finish draining the water they may have. This step is very important because we want them to be very crispy.
Step 2
step 2
Mix the two types of flour well and introduce the ortiguillas. It is a delicate process because we have to get the flour to reach every corner of the ortiguilla, every beard and every little hollow, but without mistreating the product too much. The best thing to do is to place it on the flour and move the container until it is well covered. Then, spread it on the hand and tap it a little to drain the residual flour. Put it back on the strainer to lose the extra flour.
Step 3
Place the oil in a saucepan to make sure it completely covers the ortiguillas. Fry with the oil very hot so that they are mellow on the inside and very crispy on the outside. Remove to absorbent paper.
