Where can I find Sea Urchins and Squid Ink"

Anyone know where I can find fresh sea urchins and squid ink? I would like to make pasta with the ink.

Dirk's has sea urchins. Don't know about squid ink, though. You may want to give them a call.


Dirk's Fish
2070 N. Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
773.404.3475

H-mart sells whole Korean squid (large size - imagine your forearm) which includes eyeballs and ink sack; Self-pick area (w/ the shrimp, sashimi sake, maguro and fluke).

The urchin I got at Mitsuwa for this exact purpose (I didn't do a black pasta) made me quite happy. They carry two grades. By fresh, I assume you mean relatively unravaged by processing and transportation, which these were. It wasn't the whole spiny beast, but I assume that goes without saying.

Dirk can get live urchins, on relatively short notice, I believe.

Yes, I'm looking for the whole spiny urchin.

JeffB wrote:Dirk can get live urchins, on relatively short notice, I believe.

This. Is awesome.

I've gotten fresh sea urchins (don't remember them being live, it's been a while though) at the fishmongers across the street from Caputo's on Harlem.

You can find packaged "Tinta de Calamar" (Squid Ink) at www.latienda.com.

Out of curiousity, how does one separate the squid ink from the offal? Last time, I accidentally broke open the...for lack of a better term, sack of guts while cleaning a big squid, and the smell of what came out was not something I'd flavor pasta with...I don't think it was just ink (what do squids eat, anyway? Good Lord.)

I saw squid ink linguine at Cost Plus; am planning using it for the lobster dish I keep going on about for our 10th anniversary this year.

Please, OP, post the progress on this dish; maybe if I'm brave enough, I'll make the pasta, too.

Dmnkly wrote:

JeffB wrote:Dirk can get live urchins, on relatively short notice, I believe.

This. Is awesome.

From the Dirk's site:

Sea - Urchins

California
Live!

(Says to call ahead, one week.)

PS, one can get calamares en su tinta at any number of stores, La Unica especially. They are dirt cheap, and there's plenty of ink inside. But the ink is well-seasoned already with garlic and olive oil, which you maybe don't want. The whole uncleaned squid, also available all around, are proably the way to go.

Thanks for the ideas. I will definitely give Dirks a try.

back when I shopped on Harlem Av, there was a fresh pasta place aptly named, Pasta Fresh. It was a few blocks north of Caputo's, with an ajoining market that carried small jars of squid ink. They were labeled "for pasta and rissoto", under 2 bucks as I recall. They were also a good place for parmesean rinds, the secret ingredient in Charlie Consola's minestrone soup.

You can get live sea urchins via mail order from Catalina Offshore Products in San Diego.

http://www.catalinaop.com/Sea_Urchin_Uni_s/70.htm

I have seen whole sea urchin at Caputo's in Hanover Park, but never tried them. I do have to say that the fish guy encouraged me to try it, said it was great. I have no idea if the other Caputo's would carry it, but it can't hurt to call and ask. I also think they get limited deliveries, so it also would be good to call and ask what days fish is delivered to get the freshest product.

Good luck in your search!