Steps
- Place the abalone into iced water for 1 hour.
- Remove the abalone from the shell using a wooden spoon or heavy metal spoon. Cut away the innards and membrane, leaving only the meat portion, and reserve the liver.
- Scrub the abalone meat and shells with a toothbrush to clean them thoroughly. Place the cleaned abalone in a small heatproof bowl.
- In a saucepan, bring the sake to a boil. Carefully ignite the sake with a flame until the alcohol burns off. Pour the sake over the abalone until submerged, and seal the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Place the bowl and shells into a steamer and steam for 2–3 hours, or until the abalone is tender. Alternatively, sous vide the abalone in the sake for 2 hours at 85˚C.
- Trim the livers from the rest of the guts. Cut a small incision into the base of the livers and wash to remove any sand.
- Roughly mash the livers and pass through a sieve. Weigh the pureed liver and add a third of the liver's weight each of abalone poaching sake, soy sauce, and mirin. For example, if the liver weighs 30g, add 10g each of sake, soy sauce, and mirin.
- Transfer the liver mixture to a small saucepan and stir over very low heat until it reaches 75˚C. Pass through a sieve again for a smooth sauce.
- Slice the abalone and serve in the shells, with the liver sauce on the side.