Thanksgiving Jellyfish Salad

(Justin Warner)

When I first moved to New York, I found myself taking part in what is called an “orphan’s Thanksgiving.”  This is the tradition of going out to eat with your friends who couldn’t afford to visit/don’t have family with whom to celebrate the holiday.  We ended up at a restaurant called Congee Village which is makes excellent rice porridge, but also a really killer jellyfish salad.  No cause for alarm.  Jellyfish is like the noodle of the sea, taking on the flavor of whatever sauce in which you have smothered it.  The texture is one of the finest on Earth… truly something to appreciate, the Malaysians call it “music to the teeth.”  Booze?  Robert Mondavi Private Selection Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc is a great match.  That parsnip’s herbal notes will hang nicely with the grassy part of the Sauvignon Blanc and the bright acidity of the wine can tackle the rich sesame oil with ease.

Cook Time:7 min

Prep Time:12 hours25 min

Total Time:

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 ounce salt-water packed jellyfish (available from Aquabest New York!)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 Teaspoon old bay seasoning

1/4 Cup lime juice

4 Ounce parsnip batons

4 Ounce carrot batons

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Preparation:

The day before, soak the jellyfish in cold water and change it out periodically!

Rinse the jellyfish and place it in a nonreactive bowl.

Mix up the sesame oil, lime juice and old bay and pour over the jellyfish.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, and submerge the carrots and parsnips.

When the water returns to a boil (maybe 3-5 minutes) fish out the carrots and parsnips with a spider or strainer and immediately add them to the bowl of jellyfish. Toss and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Garnish with cilantro if you’d like.

Don’t tell anyone it’s jellyfish. They’ll think it is rice noodles. BOOM! Something to be thankful for, the ability to eat jellyfish!