Living here in Southern California certainly has its benefits. Fresh seafood certainly being one of them!
Southern California fishermen have been roaming the waters for as long as humans have inhabited the area, and with cool waters and an abundance of sheltered coves, it's no wonder that the selection of seafood is as bountiful as it is!
Here are just a few of the types of locally-caught shellfish that you can enjoy at home, from prawns to oysters to crab, urchin and more!
7 kinds of SoCal shellfish & how to cook them
Spot prawns
Known for their sweet and tender meat, California spot prawns are one of the many prized shellfish species typically caught in SoCal’s cold Pacific waters.
These prawns (which are slightly larger than shrimp but smaller than lobsters) are usually trapped in baited pots which, because they’re specifically designed for the prawns, cause minimal environmental impact and are one of the more sustainable trapping methods out there!
Treat spot prawns in much the same way as you would shrimp when preparing them for a dish. Sautée them with garlic, butter and herbs for just a few minutes until they turn pink, grill them by brushing with olive oil and grilling for about 3 minutes per side or steam them for 3-4 minutes. However you decide to prepare them, keep in mind that their their flavor pairs well with light seasonings that enhance the shellfish’s delicacy.
Spiny lobster
Unlike the Maine lobster, spiny lobsters lack the distinctive large claws that make the northeastern lobsters so iconic, though their tail meat is also characteristically firm and mildly sweet. Caught in traps or by diving down to collect them, these SoCal lobsters can be grilled, boiled or broiled depending on your tastes and preference.
Grilling spiny lobster tails brings out their natural flavor, especially when brushed with butter or garlic and cooked for about 5 minutes per side. If you’re boiling them, submerge the tails for 8-12 minutes depending on size, or broil them for 5-6 minutes until the meat turns opaque. Their meat is excellent when paired with melted butter or light citrus flavors — the perfect SoCal flavor combo!
Dungeness Crab
Dungeness crabs are found along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California and are commonly caught using pots or traps. They typically prefer colder waters, so Southern California is about as far south as you’ll find them on the west coast of North America.
Known for their sweet, delicate meat, Dungeness crabs are a favorite for boiling or steaming. To cook a whole crab, boil it for 15-20 minutes in salted water; or, steam it for about 18 minutes. Once cooked, the crab can be cracked open and served as-is with melted butter or used as a main ingredient in salads, pasta or crab cakes. The tender, juicy meat is versatile and pairs well with simple, fresh ingredients like lemon and herbs, making it a great centerpiece for a dinner party or fancy dinner!
Rock crab
Rock crabs are mild and sweet, though their meat’s a bit firmer than that of Dungeness crabs, despite being smaller in size.
With similar flavor characteristics to the larger Dungeness, rock crabs can also be prepared either boiled or steamed. Once cooked, crack open the prized, meaty claws and serve the meat with garlic butter, or shred it and use it in crab salads or appetizers. Yum!
Sea urchin
Sea urchins are commonly found in the shallow coastal waters and reefs of the Pacific, where divers hand-harvest them in order to protect the delicate seabed.
The prized golden meat inside, known as uni, has a creamy, briny flavor that tastes of the ocean. It’s typically eaten raw, either on its own or as a sushi topping, but it can also be used in pasta for a rich, umami flavor!
To prepare uni, carefully cut open the sea urchin shell and gently scoop out the uni, which can be served fresh as-is or used as a signature ingredient in other seafood dishes.
Oysters
Oysters are both farmed and wild-harvested from both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the U.S.; and though the colder waters of Puget Sound yield greater amounts of the tasty shellfish, our SoCal waters still produce a hefty share of the stuff.
Oysters are typically harvested by hand-picking them from reefs, rocks, piers or other hard surfaces upon which they grow. Once picked and prepared, they’re often served raw on the half-shell, with their briny and fresh flavor often complemented by a mignonette sauce or a squeeze of lemon. If you prefer them cooked, try topping them with garlic butter and grilling them for 4-5 minutes, or bake them into a rich dish like Oysters Rockefeller that features a topping of spinach, butter and breadcrumbs. Either way, they’re sure to be delicious!
Mussels
Mussels are farmed or harvested from wild beds in intertidal areas along the Pacific coast. They’re mild in flavor and slightly sweet, so gently steaming them usually is the way to go about cooking them. Just toss them in a pot with white wine, garlic and herbs, then steam for 5-7 minutes until the shells open up — be sure to toss any that stay closed. They also pair really well with tomatoes and garlic if you want to give them a more Mediterranean flair. However you choose to cook them, they’re sure to be quick, easy and perfect for fresh seafood dishes!
Whether you’re cooking up a storm or trying something new for yourself, these freshly-caught shellfish are sure to elevate your next dish into something truly great. Head to a fish market or pier near any of our luxury Southern California apartments and you’ll leave with some of the freshest seafood you’ve ever laid eyes on.
Bon appetit!
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Featured photo by Viviana Rishe on Unsplash
Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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