Search delicious.com.au for ‘Yabbies with
apple, radicchio and lemongrass butter’ILLUSTRATIONALICE CLEARYBUYINGBuyalive.Lookforlively
yabbieswithalllimbsintact and no
damp-earth aroma.
STORINGYabbiescanlastforup
toaweekoutofwater.Storeina
lidded basket and cover with a damp
cloth.Coverthemwithicetoslow
themdown.Makesurethelidistight
or you’ll find them escaping and
enroutetothepantry!
COOKINGGrilled, pot-roasted,
poached, baked.
CATCHING METHOD
Farmed.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Marron,redclaw.
ACCOMPANIMENTSLemon,
corn, caramelised garlic, butter,
ginger;alsogreatincurries,salads,
on a sandwich or as a filling for pasta.The blue yabby
isdelicious eating,
butwatchforthose
claws – they nip!YABBIES
WHENIWASayoung
Huck, our family often
spentweekendsatmy
uncle’sfarmonthesouth
coastofNewSouthWales.
ItwashereIlearnttheart
ofcowdungFrisbee(untilIpickedapattie
that was far too fresh), an appreciation for
scones and pikelets, and a love of yabbies.
Armedwith raw meat, string and nets,
wesettrapsinthedamsunderthe
darknessofnight,andbydawnwehada
bucket full of pinchies destined for the pot.
“Sure, catching brown yabbies in a dirty
oldfarm pond is easy,” laughs John
Susman,ofFishtales,“butthesearea
culinaryshadowofthebig,blueyabby,the
Cherax destructor,thathidesinburrowsin
the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan
riversinwesternNewSouthWales,”he
says.Afreshwatercrustaceanendemicto
Australia,yabbiesare,infact,nativesof
NewSouthWalesandVictoria,butare
now almost exclusively farmed in dams
and specially designed ponds in Western
Australia and Southern Australia.
“Whenit comes to featuring native
ingredients, in the words of Indiana Jones,
‘Ithinkit’stimetoaskyourself:whatdo
you believe in?’” quips Susman. “Insects,
berries and leaves with dubious flavour
andtexture,oradelicious,unique crayfish
who calls Australia home?”
Brownorblue,whenitcomestoyabbies,Anthony Huckstephas
been in love with their taste since childhood hunting adventures.Yabbies take on the conditions of the
waterinwhichtheygrow,andthuscan
tastequitedifferentfrompondtopond
and dam to dam. Generally, though, they
boastasoft,delicateandearthy flavour,
andafirm,notmushybite.
Growingto around 12 centimetres and
70grams,blueyabbiesareshortand
stocky with a bright-blue-to-green shell
andlarge,strongpincersthatcanmake
catching them a dangerous affair –
becauseoncetheygrabtheydon’tletgo!
“Itsfleshisbestwhencookedfromlive,
inafast-bubbling44-gallondrumfilled
with salty water,” says Susman. “Refreshed
in icy water, peeled and eaten with white
bread, butter and brown vinegar, the blue
yabby is manna from heaven.”
Yabbies are the star at one of Australia’s
best restaurants, Bennelong, where chef
PeterGilmorepoachesthemintheirshell,
splitsthemandservesthemwith
buckwheat pikelets, lemon marmalade and
culturedcream.It’stheultimateinluxury
comfortfood,andadishthatfeelsright
at home beneath the sails of our world
famous‘nuns in a scrum’.delicious.com.au/food-files
Formore tips on buying and
storing fresh seafood.@huckstergram @anthuckstepCATCH OFTHEDAY.
40 delicious.com.au