Published on November 20, 2025
Your Next Culinary Discovery: Québec Sea Cucumber
While sea cucumber is highly popular on the Chinese market, it remains largely unknown to most Quebecers. Yet it has been harvested and processed right here in Gaspésie — and exported to China — for many years! Arctica Food, a local company founded by Lory Wang and her honorable father, has been developing and promoting Gaspé sea cucumber since the very beginning. We met with them to learn more about this intriguing product that immediately sparked our curiosity.
More Than Meets the Eye
In Québec, sea cucumber is still a mysterious and rarely consumed ingredient. Its unusual, slightly slimy pickle-like appearance can certainly intimidate anyone unfamiliar with it. But much like the famous geoduck clam, behind its quirky look lies a product truly worth discovering!
Wild-caught in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, Arctica Food’s northern sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) is prized for its pleasantly firm, mushroom-like texture, its delicate flavor, and its high protein content.
How to Prepare It
Once you get comfortable with it, sea cucumber is surprisingly easy to cook. Its subtle taste blends seamlessly into many recipes, making it a great alternative source of protein. You can enjoy it hot — sliced into stir-fries, soups, or stews — or cold, in salads, ceviche, or poke bowls.
Curious to Try Sea Cucumber?
Arctica Food’s sea cucumbers can be found in several ethnic grocery stores across Québec, as well as at Signé Local in Brossard. They’re sold either frozen or dehydrated; if you choose the dehydrated option, remember to rehydrate them before cooking. Simply soak the sea cucumbers in water for a full day, change the water, bring them to a boil, and repeat the process a second time.
For kids, this step is like a fascinating science experiment — once rehydrated, sea cucumbers expand to nearly eight times their original size!
