Dill-poached shellfish with brown butter mayonnaise
Of course it's easier to buy your shellfish pre-cooked, but the improvement in flavour that comes with cooking it yourself is worth the extra effort, especially at Christmas.
Ingredients
1 mud crab, green and preferably live
2 small crayfish, green and preferably live
1kg prawns, green
1kg pot-ready mussels
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 lemons, halved
1 bunch dill, roughly torn
200ml white wine
lemon wedges, to serve
crusty bread, to serve
Brown butter mayonnaise
150g butter
150ml grapeseed oil
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp lemon juice
pinch of salt
Method
To make the brown butter mayonnaise, heat the butter over medium heat until browned, then add grapeseed oil.
In a small food processor mix the egg yolks, lemon juice and salt, then gradually add the oil and butter mixture to create a thick mayonnaise. Set aside.
Prepare the crab and crayfish by placing in the freezer for about 20 minutes to put them to sleep, then spiking between the eyes with a sharp knife or metal skewer. Clean the crab and separate into 4 pieces, and divide the crayfish in half lengthways. Remove the intestinal tract from the crayfish. (You can keep the crab and crayfish whole if you wish, but I find that breaking them up makes this dish easier to share.)
Remove the intestinal tract from the prawns, keeping the shells intact. Brush the mussels if necessary.
Bring about 5 litres of water to a simmer in a large pot and add the salt, sugar, lemons, dill and white wine. Add the crab and crayfish and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the prawns and simmer for a further 2 minutes, then add mussels for a final 2 minutes, just until the shells open. Remove all the shellfish from the pot and serve either warm or chilled with the mayonnaise, lemon wedges and crusty bread.
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Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/goodfood/recipes/dill-poached-shellfish-with-brown-butter-mayonnaise-20151208-47hj2.html