what are abalone

Abalone is a common name for any of a group of small to very large marine gastropod mollusks in the family Haliotidae. They are also known as ear shells, sea ears, and muttonfish or muttonshells in parts of Australia, ormer in the UK, perlemoen in South Africa, and paua in New Zealand. Abalones are marine snails that range in size from 4 to 10 inches. They have a single shell on top and use a large foot to cling to rocks and eat algae. The abalone shell is flat and spiral-shaped with several small holes around the edges. Abalone shells are made of calcium carbonate, and the innermost layer is made of a specific type of calcium carbonate called nacre, or mother-of-pearl, which in the light exhibits an iridescent surface. Abalone is often treated in a very delicate way that showcases the shellfishs esteemed meat. Gourmet dishes will often simply fry steaks, sometimes in butter and with mushrooms, while one favorite California dish breads it before cooking. Its very common to see abalone in upscale versions of Southeast Asian restaurant dishes, including raw as sashimi or tartare, as part of a.