22 November 2010

FAVOURITE SEAFOOD HORS D’OEUVRES

A selection of wonderful bites to start a Christmas Feast

Crayfish and avocado on rye Crayfish is always a luxury, so a little can go a long way in this refreshing appetizer

• 1 500g crayfish tail, cooked
• 1 avocado, peeled
• 1 lemon
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup light olive oil
• 6 slices rye bread
• fresh dill to garnish

Remove meat from the shell carefully keeping it in one piece. Slice the tail into very thin medallions and keep aside. You will need 16 slices. Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone and cut into 16 thin slices. Make the mayonnaise by placing a whole egg and the juice of 1 lemon in a food processor with the mustard. Whizz to combine and then slowly drizzle the oil in through the machine’s feed tube while the motor continues to run. When all the oil has been absorbed, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut the crusts from the bread and spread with mayonnaise. Cut each slice of bread into four triangles. (Or you could cut the bread into circles with a cookie cutter.) Place a slice of crayfish on each, top with avocado and decorate with a sprig of dill. Makes 16.

Scallop skewers Marinate the scallops with lime juice and wasabi and place on skewers to grill.

• 16 fresh large scallops
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 limes, juice and zest
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
• Salt

Pick the scallops over to remove any remaining gut. Mix the oil, lime juice and zest with the wasabi paste and salt in a bowl. Put the scallops in the mixture and marinate for at least two hours. Thread the scallops on to small skewers that have been soaked in cold water. Heat the grill and cook under gentle heat until just turning opaque. Eat at once. Makes 16.

Sliced Baby Paua with parsley and lemon These delicacies are enjoyed in our export markets but recently have been available in selected fish distributors or can be ordered and delivered fresh or frozen. This is a perfect way to spoil the family at Christmas and a little goes a long way, as they say.

• 6 baby paua (thawed in the shell)
• 2 tablespoons of a delicate flavoured olive oil (grapeseed)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lemons, juice only
• 1 small bunch Italian parsley, very finely chopped

Take the paua from the shell, and remove the gut and the brown bits, but you may like to keep the liver attached. With a paper towel you can rub the black surface from the paua so it is a light white-ish grey colour. With a very sharp knife, cut the paua into thin strips. There is no need to bash the paua as it very tender at this young age. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan until it is smoky hot. Take half the paua and cook this first batch over quite a hot heat so that it sears quickly. Add half the lemon and swirl it around with half the parsley. Tip into a small serving bowl. Repeat this remaining batch of paua. Hand around with small toothpicks. Serves 8 as an hors d’oeuvres.

Marinated raw snapper For as long as I can remember we have had fish marinated in lemon and then served with freshly squeezed coconut as part of our family Christmas celebrations and serve it as my grandmother did. Never use light coconut cream or coconut milk!

• 750g fresh snapper fillets
• 5 lemons, juiced
• 3 tablespoons flaky sea salt
• 5 spring onions, very finely chopped
• 400mls fresh (or canned) thick coconut cream
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander or parsley

Slice the fish into small bite sized pieces. Place in a glass bowl and cover with lemon juice and the salt. Leave overnight, refrigerated. About 2 hours before serving, tip the fish and lemon juice into a sieve, and allow the lemon juice to run off. Return the fish to a clean serving bowl, add the spring onions and coconut cream. Stir well, grind over the black pepper, add the coriander and taste for salt. Surprisingly you may need to add more! Serves 8 as an hors d’oeuvres. Recipes by Lauraine Jacobs