How to cook Alikreukel? It's much easier than you might think.
This recipe for alikreukel is a South African favourite and very popular seafood dish to prepare.
First, let's take a look at what Alikreukel is and then use the best way to cook it.
Jump to:
Alikkreukel, also known as the Giant Periwinkle or the South African turban (Turbo sarmaticus) are hard-shelled molluscs. They grow by the hordes in the South African waters and are extremely well adapted to surviving in the rough seas around the Cape.
Apart from their rock hard shell they also have an extremely powerful muscle that "glues" them to rocks. Because of this, the muscle is very tough and only becomes edible when either minced up or cooked low and slow.
In this recipe, we will use the easier-quicker method of cooking Alikreukel or in the mother tongue "Alikreukel gaarmaak".
Useful equipment
Dutch Oven
Wooden Spoon
Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
Kitchenaid Grinder Attachment
Ingredients
- Alikreukel - You can buy this or take it out yourself. If you take it out yourself make sure to go get a permit from the post office first.
- Aromatics - Onions and garlic. You can also use a few bay leaves if you're feeling fancy.
- Wine - Dry white wine. Chardonay works best.
- Butter - Real 82% butter. No margirine or any of those.
- Cream - Double cream.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper and for a bit of extra fanciness, freshly grated nutmeg just before serving.
Instructions
- Firstly, we need to remove the muscle from within the shell. We need to boil the alikreukel for about 5 minutes in salted water or until the muscle releases and pops out of the shell.
- Clean off any guts and remove the hard-shell foot so you are left only with a clean piece of flesh. After that, we mince the Alikreukel through the finest setting you have on your mincer. Only once.
- Chop the onions and garlic finely, and fry it in the pot or pan with the salt until soft and translucent.
- Add the white wine and reduce that down by half.
- Next, the periwinkle goes in and get's cooked for about 5 minutes to release its juices and wonderful fresh ocean seafood aroma.
- Finally, add the cream. Simmer this for about 15 minutes or until the cream has thickened slightly. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the rest of the butter to emulsify. Adjust the seasoning with some more sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, fine grating of lemon zest and a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Serve this as is or over some fluffy rice or couscous.
To make an alikreukel potjie use the same method described above. If you want to make a curry potjie just add some curry powder when finished cooking the onions and replace one 5th of the cream with coconut milk.
Sides to serve with
Storage and reheating instructions
- Chill and store in the fridge airtight for up to 4 days.
- Can be frozen for up to 6 months.
- To reheat simply defrost overnight in the fridge or microwave on defrost setting. Bring to a boil before serving.
Related recipes
- Cured Salmon Gravlax
- How to Cook Salmon Fillet
- Angelfish On The Braai
- Prawn Massaman Thai Curry
- Kerala Chicken Curry
This site contains affiliate links. I may earn a tiny commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. By bookmarking these links you help support the upkeep of this site.
If you found this post helpful or have learned something, comment, subscribe, and follow me on social platforms for more tasty recipes.
Recipe
How to cook Alikreukel (Giant Periwinkle)
Ingredients
For the first part:
- 750 g (5 cups) cleaned and minced alikreukel meat
- 250 g (1 4/7 cups) onion - chopped
- 30 g (3 ¾ tablespoon) garlic - chopped
- 150 g (⅔ cups) butter
- 200 g (⅚ cups) dry white wine
- 250 g (1 cups) double cream
- 2 g (⅓ teaspoon) salt
For the finishing
- 2 g (⅓ teaspoon) salt
- 2 g (⅛ oz) cracked black pepper
- 12 g (⅘ tablespoon) lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Firstly we go in with the butter.
- When that's melted we add the onions, garlic, pinch of salt and cook that slowly until nice and soft about 10 minutes on medium heat (Don't let this colour or burn).
- Add the white wine and reduce that down by half.
- The minced alikreukel/periwinkle goes in followed by the cream. Simmer(NOT BOIL) this for about 15 minutes or until the cream has thickened slightly.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in the rest of the butter to emulsify.
- Adjust the seasoning with some more sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, fine grating of lemon zest and a little squeeze of lemon juice.
- Serve this over some fluffy rice for the perfect seaside meal.
Notes
- Once cooked it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Anonymous says
Hoe lekker rol dit op die tong, nes die rowwe branders om die kus: alikreukel gaarmaak…. Baie dankie!
Anonymous says
Great simple seafood recipe
Anonymous says
Such a simple tasty recipe that honours this rare seafood
Patricia says
This is a seafood which I hope the world at large never discovers and removes from the sea because of over 'fishing'
I make this almost the same way. I use Graham Beck NV MCC, I don't add garlic (I think it is too strong for the delicate sea flavours), lots of chopped italian parsley just before serving. Instead of adding cream to the alikreukel, I serve it with a delicate lemon pasta made with lemon zest and juice, creme fraiche, more parsley and a little bit of fine Reggiano and masses of black pepper.
And as you said, Exquisite good quality butter which is perfect and not scrappy rancid leftovers is key!
Dylan says
We made this over new years and was not dissapointed. The flavours are so simple but very tasty and perfect for having by the seaside. Took the advise of having the white wine too and what an amazing sunset snack. Highly reccomended. Dylan - Hermanus