Steamed Periwinkles in White Wine Garlic Butter
If you have spent any time walking along the coast of New England you have undoubtedly encountered the common periwinkle (Littorina littorea) clinging to the bottom of rocks in inter tidal zones. What you may not know is that these rather prolific snails are invasive to our waters.
Native to Europe, it is believed that they were brought over on the bottom of ships as early as the 1850’s. Because there are so many common periwinkles along the coast, they have had a huge effect upon intertidal ecosystems. They displace native snails by preferentially feeding upon faster-growing seaweeds, causing slower-growing species to dominate tide pools.
Popular in cuisines throughout the UK, Italy and Asia, periwinkle consumption has yet to catch on back here in the states, which is a real shame. They are quite delicious, tasting very similar to clams or mussels.
Foraging them is quick, easy and most of all fun! After 15 minutes I had over 6 cups, plenty to make an appetizer for 4-6 people. Because they are invasive, you don’t need to worry about purchasing a license or bringing any special tools other than a bucket. And, at the end of the harvest you can feel good about helping the environment and native species.
Safety First!
Before you get your boots on and your bucket ready, here are a few important tips to help you forage safely and responsibly. ALWAYS be sure to look up your state/town’s most recent shellfish area openings/closings map and report. Each state in New England updates these maps weekly and publishes reports on pollution and bacteria levels.
While we are not technically shell fishing, we do want to gather and harvest our edibles from clean waters. AVOID foraging in any area that is closed on your state/town map.
Cleaning Your Harvest
Before you leave the beach, make sure to fill your bucket with enough sea water to cover the periwinkles. That way they stay fresh for longer.
Cleaning your periwinkles is the most time-consuming part of the process but is still very easy! Once you are ready to start cooking, remove the ‘winkles from your bucket filled with sea water and place them into a big bowl under cold running water.
After a few minutes in the running water, fill another bowl with cold water and begin gently scrubbing any sand or slime off the shells. You can use a small brush but I just used my fingers. Throw your cleaned snails in the new bowl of water. If the water stays clear, you are good to go. If your water still appears murky, give them another soak under cold running water.
Ingredients
- 4-6 cups of cleaned periwinkles
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, quartered
- A few sprigs of thyme
- 1 cup white wine of your choice (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, etc)
- 3-4 pads of butter
Instructions
Boil your periwinkles for 5-7 minutes. Strain. Using a large sauce pan, set your burner temperature to medium-high and wait until the pan gets really hot. In a large bowl, combine periwinkles with minced garlic, thyme and 1 cup of white wine. Pour contents into the hot sauce pan and cover to steam the periwinkles for 2-3 minutes.
You will know if the ‘winkles are cooked thoroughly if the meat starts to come out of the shell and the dark brown colored ‘door’ on the front of the periwinkle is easily removed or has fallen off. Scoop the periwinkles out of the pan, leaving as much of the sauce as possible.
Turn the heat to low and add in 3-4 pads of butter. Whisk until fully emulsified. Pour sauce over the periwinkles. Squeeze one quarter of lemon juice over dish, use other 3 quarters as garnish.
A toothpick or lobster meat picker is the perfect tool to pull out the tasty bits. Best served with an ice cold beer and friends!
Interested in learning more about edible invasive species and seaweeds? Join me for my next public Coastal Foraging event February 23 at 11:30am in Rye Beach, NH. Want to explore what your hometown beach has to offer? Book a private excursion!
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