Golden Sea Star, Gourmet Delicacy

Sea star is a niche delicacy: the arms carry a firm, dense meat and the body holds green roe with a rich, savoury taste. The colour is a deep orange that survives cooking, which makes it as much a visual piece as an ingredient.

Each one is cleaned before freezing and comes out at roughly six inches across, with the arms whole and the surface intact. They are graded so a plate of several reads as a set rather than a collection of odd sizes.

Steam them briefly and split the arms, or char them over a grill and finish with soy and sesame. The roe is usually steamed inside the body and spooned out. Treat it like a centrepiece: one or two per table is enough.

• Deep orange body with bright green roe inside
• Cleaned and ready to cook, roughly 6 inches across
• Firm arms that hold their shape through steaming
• A striking centrepiece for a seafood platter