🇨🇻 Cape Verdean Cuisine

Percebes

Goose Barnacles

Prep Time 5 min
Servings 4
Difficulty Easy
Calories 150 kcal

Wild goose barnacles harvested from Cape Verde's volcanic rocks, briefly boiled in salted water and eaten with the fingers — a primal ocean delicacy.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Rinse barnacles thoroughly under cold running water to remove sand and debris.
  2. 2 Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add sea salt and bay leaf.
  3. 3 Drop barnacles into boiling water. Cook exactly 2-3 min.
  4. 4 Drain immediately. Do not overcook or they become rubbery.
  5. 5 Pile onto a serving platter with lemon wedges. Eat by pinching the shell and pulling out the meat.

Did You Know?

Harvesting percebes from wave-battered volcanic cliffs is one of the most dangerous food-gathering activities in Cape Verde, making them a prized delicacy.