It is not all that bleak. As it turns out, goose barnacles are both tasty and nutritious. The renowned Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl, describing the voyage of the Kon-Tiki in 1947, mentions that members of his crew collected barnacles that quickly covered the raft… They made soup from them — and were quite pleased with the flavour of these crustaceans.
On a fairly large scale, goose barnacles are harvested along the coasts of Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. In Chile, they are even canned. Science knows about sixty species of these “acorn barnacles.” In cooking, larger specimens (12–20 cm in length) are preferred. They are an excellent dietary seafood: pure protein, rich in amino acids and valuable macro- and microelements.
One RECIPE for preparing goose barnacles
Dip the barnacles in cream or in Bercy sauce (Sauce Bercy). Season with mustard, place them back into their shells, sprinkle with grated cheese, and grill…
For the Bercy sauce you will need:
- Parsley
- 2 onions
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup fish stock
Preparing the Bercy sauce:
Peel and finely chop the onions. Sauté them in butter until soft. Add the wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Pour in the fish stock. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. At the very end, add chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and whisk in small pieces of butter to taste. Enjoy your meal.
A BUSINESS IDEA
Food for thought: freshly harvested goose barnacles can reach prices of up to 400 euros per kilogram.
An idea: a marine farm on the continental shelf — in coastal waters with a relatively even seabed. The Dominican Republic has plenty of such ocean areas. And the Atlantic here is warm all year round…
(The Atlantic coast of the Dominican Republic near the town of Río San Juan. The shoreline bends in a smooth arc…)