Oricios Cocidos Asturianos

Oricios cocidos are Asturian: whole winter sea urchins from the rocky Cantabrian coast, given one minute in a covered pot and opened at the table. Other coasts eat sea urchins under other names, but Asturias calls them oricios and keeps the shell as the serving bowl. The five orange-gold lobes and their briny liquor are the dish. Lemon is allowed; enthusiasm with lemon is not.

The minute decides it. Set the oricios mouth-side up over shallow water, cover the pot, and begin counting only when the water boils strongly. Sixty seconds barely firms the coral while leaving it creamy and sweet. Give it several cautious extra minutes and it turns grainy. There is no salt, sofrito, or sauce here. Cream and breadcrumbs belong to another Asturian preparation, not this one.

Far from Asturias, ask a reputable fishmonger for live, edible cold-water sea urchins. Maine green urchins or Pacific red and purple urchins can stand in; their size, colour, and sweetness differ, but the method holds. If all you can buy is cleaned uni in a tray, serve it cool with a few drops of lemon and don't boil it. It will be good sea urchin, but it won't be oricios opened from the shell. The Margin beside this recipe says only, "have the scissors ready." Siempre sale, si lo sigues.