Spicy Cockle Salad: A Delicious Seasonal Treat!
How to Purge and Boil Cockles: Enjoying Perfect Cockle Salad!
Cockles are truly delicious when properly purged and boiled! While seafood is often enjoyed more in winter than summer, seasonal cockles are perfect for eating as is or mixed into a flavorful salad. This recipe guides you through the essential steps of purging and boiling cockles, ensuring a delightful culinary experience.
Cockle Salad Seasoning- 5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Flakes)
- 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Mirin (Rice Wine)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 1/2 Tbsp Vinegar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the cockles several times under cold running water until the water runs clear. I rinsed mine about 5 times. Then, fill a bowl with enough water to submerge the cockles, adding about 1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water. I then covered the container with a black plastic bag to block out light and let them purge for 2 hours. While 30 minutes or 1 hour can work, a minimum of 2 hours ensures thorough purging of impurities.
Step 2
You can see the floating impurities here, right? Proper purging will remove these, leaving the water cleaner.
Step 3
Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully add the purged cockles. Stir them gently in one direction with a spoon or ladle. This helps the cockles attach to the shells on one side, making them easier to open and separate later.
Step 4
As the cockles’ proteins mix with the water, foam will rise, and they will start to open. Cook them only until about 80% of them have opened. This usually takes about 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. Be careful not to overcook them, as they can become tough.
Step 5
Prepare your vegetables for the salad. Onion and carrots are standard, but I’m adding water parsley (minari) for a refreshing crunch and aromatic flavor.
Step 6
Julienne the vegetables finely. Feel free to substitute water parsley with your favorite vegetables like chives or green onions; they work wonderfully too.
Step 7
Soaking the julienned onion in cold water for a few minutes removes its pungent raw flavor and enhances its crispness, making the salad even more delicious!
Step 8
Rinse the boiled cockles in cold water to cool them down. For serving, you can remove one shell from each cockle, leaving the other attached. This makes them easy to eat with a dipping sauce like ‘cho gochujang’ (spicy red pepper paste with vinegar).
Step 9
Fresh cockles usually open when boiled, but some stubborn ones might remain closed. You can gently pry these open by inserting the tip of a spoon or, even better, a butter knife into the seam and twisting slightly (about 90 degrees). A stainless steel butter knife works exceptionally well and makes opening them much easier!
Step 10
Prepare the seasoning sauce for the cockle salad. In a bowl, combine 5 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp gochugaru, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp mirin, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds, and 1/2 Tbsp vinegar. Mix well until evenly combined.
Step 11
Arrange the prepared vegetables attractively on a serving plate. Start with the soaked onion, aromatic water parsley, and crisp carrots. Generously top with the prepared cockles. You can serve the dressing on the side or gently toss everything together with the seasoning. A small drizzle of sesame oil can also enhance the flavor.
