Originally published in The Whole Fish

This recipe is the guideline for the making of a wrap, although for the more ambitious, you could adjust it to turn it into a roll.

2 small prepared abalone (shell removed )

1 cup of low sodium soy sauce

1 cup mirin

1 thumb of ginger root, peeled & sliced

1 star anise

1 stick of cinnamon

2 garlic gloves, crushed

2 tablespoons of sugar

Preheat the oven at 250 F

In a small casserole, place the abalone and add the rest of the ingredients. Depending on the size of the dish, you might have to add a little bit of water to allow the abalone to be completely submerged. Cover tightly: even if using a pan with a lid, we recommend additional sealing with aluminum foil to avoid the braising liquid reducing too quickly.

Place in the oven for 4 to 5 hours.

Remove from braising liquid and allow to cool.

Note: Abalone will soften, but remain pretty firm and won't fall apart, unlike a braised piece of meat.

To assemble

4 nori sheets

1 cup of cooked sushi rice ( seasoned with rice wine vinegar & sugar)

Pickled ginger

1 avocado sliced

1/2 red onion (thinly sliced, sprinkled with 2tsp salt, 1tbs sugar, covered with the juice of 1 orange, 1 lemon, 2 limes and 1 tbs of rice wine vinegar; cover and refrigerate for 30 mins)

A little bundle of enoki mushrooms

A little bundle of radish sprouts

1 carrot, julienned

Lay out the sheets of nori, and starting with the rice, build the wrap. Lay the vegetables in the middle, and finish with the thinly sliced abalone, then fold bottom corner towards the middle and one corner at a time towards the middle. To seal the nori, use a little water along the edge and press to seal.

Enjoy with soy sauce and wasabi.

Suggested Pairing: Roussanne, Marsanne or other aromatic white wine