PIMP YOUR PLATTER

HERE’S AN IDEA FOR DATE NIGHT. THIS SEAFOOD SPREAD IS THE ULTIMATE ENTERTAINER

Splashing out on quality product is always a shore bet. A platter of local seafood is a tactile, tantalising tease as you coax the sweet meat from a mud crab — the perfect entree for romance any day of the year.

SEAFOOD PLATTER Serves: 2 INGREDIENTS

250g fresh clams

¼ lebanese cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced 6 cornichons, finely diced ½ jalapeño, very finely diced ½ lemon, juiced

100ml extra virgin olive oil

1 large cooked Moreton Bay bug, split and cleaned

250g mayonnaise

1 lemon, zest and juice

Sea salt and freshly milled pepper ¼ bunch dill, finely chopped 50g caster sugar

125ml warm water

3tbsp fish sauce

1½tbsp rice wine vinegar 3tbsp lime juice

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

6 freshly shucked oysters Handful picked coriander leaves 1tsp crispy shallots

1 cooked mud crab, cleaned and cracked

250g cooked medium king prawns 4 cooked red claws

METHOD

Heat a medium pot with lid over high heat. Add the clams and cover for 30 seconds, then add a splash of water and put the lid back on. The second they open, they are ready. Tip into a colander, reserving any liquor. Separate the shells into halves, discarding the empty ones. Combine cucumber, cornichons and jalapeño in a bowl and dress with lemon juice and olive oil. Strain in the cooking liquor then spoon over clams. Remove bug meat from the shell and chop into 1cm pieces. Combine mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice and season to taste. Remove a few tablespoons and combine with the chopped dill. Reserve the rest. Add the bug meat to the dill mayo, gently combine then return to the shells. For the oyster dressing, combine sugar and warm water in a jar and shake until dissolved. Add fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice, garlic and chilli. Spoon dressing over oysters and garnish with coriander and crispy shallots. Arrange seafood on crushed ice and accompany with reserved lemon mayonnaise.