Crayfish with hazelnut and pastis butter Recipe

Crayfish with hazelnut and pastis butter Recipe

  • 1 large handful slightly stale, rustic-style bread, torn into pieces
  • large handful hazelnuts
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 125g/4oz butter, cut into small cubes
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • splash pastis
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • large handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • 30 raw signal crayfish (substitute with langoustines if unavailable)
  • lemon wedges, to serve
  1. Preheat the grill to its highest setting.
  2. Place the bread into a food processor and blend into medium-sized breadcrumbs.
  3. Add the remaining stuffing ingredients, except for the parsley, to the breadcrumbs and blend until thoroughly combined. (If it becomes a lump, remove the lid and break it up a little with a spoon.) Stir in the chopped parsely.
  4. For the crayfish, using a sharp knife, cut all of the crayfish lengthways from tip to tail. Remove any waste sacs from the crayfish.
  5. Arrange the crayfish, side-by-side, on a roasting tray. Smear up a generous amount of the stuffing onto the flesh side of each crayfish half.
  6. Sprinkle the crayfish with salt and place under the grill. Grill for 4-5 minutes, or until completely cooked through. The shells will turn completely red when cooked. If there are any remaining signs of dark brown or blue colouring, they are not ready and require a few minutes more.
  7. To serve, transfer the cooked crayfish to a plate, and arrange in rows. Serve with lemon wedges.