Amateur and professional fishers are eagerly rubbing their hands together this week, as coveted crays begin their annual migration into open waters – ready to be plucked from the ocean like shiny red Christmas berries!
Colloquially known as ‘the running of the whites’, the migration means freshly moulted crayfish set off in search of deeper waters in a north-westerly direction, making them easy targets for divers as they are visible in the shallow reefs. Commercial lobster fishers are also breathing a sigh of relief as the easy catch (though a few weeks late this year) matches up with the high demand for Christmas.
Personally I think it’s very fortuitous timing and I can’t think of a more fitting festive treat on a searing December day than fresh, locally caught lobster. Even though I do love a good turkey, and as Paul Kelly says, even 100 degrees ‘won’t stop the roast!’
If you’re not boat-blessed nor bold enough to dive for your own, the new ‘Back of Boat’ system makes it super simple to connect with a local cray boat and meet them at the jetty. If you live over at the coast you’ve no doubt got your own contacts, but if you’re on holiday, or an eastern dweller, this is a very handy tool.
Even simpler is to order them from the Northern Valleys Locavore Store in Bindoon (if that’s convenient). This year we’ve teamed up with Lancelin fisherman Ben Prideaux to offer fresh live crays each Thursday before Christmas – saving you the trip! Pre-orders are essential. There is one more delivery on 22 December you can catch if you’re quick.
If you’re a lobster-lover you’ve no doubt got your secret recipe tucked away, but if you need some direction, below is my favourite way to prepare a fabulous fishy feast!
- First, sedate lobster in an icy slurry at about -1deg ice for at least 20 mins. Alternatively, wrap in newspaper and pop in the freezer for at least half an hour until there are no signs of movement.
- Boil a large pot of water – enough to fully cover the crayfish you intend to cook.
- Add 50-70 g of salt per litre – (think sea water saltiness!).
- Spike your lobster with a sharp knife in the gap between the tail and the head to make sure it’s fully dispatched.
- Once you have a rolling boil, fully submerge the whole lobsters, quickly and so they are fully covered.
- Boil for 8-10 minutes for a medium (500g)
- Remove and place on ice to stop further cooking.
- Once cooled enough, carefully slice down the centre to create two even halves. Leave the head intact as the ‘mustard’ adds flavour.
- You can eat straight away out of the shell with salad or whatever you fancy. A squeeze of lemon is often all you need!
For something a bit more special, toss on the BBQ with olive oil and garlic and lightly fry off on both sides before serving as in the pic below. This is my brother’s specialty and he was the cook of the delicious crays below :-). If you’re planning to do this, you may want to boil for just 5-6 minutes.
Generally, it’s better to undercook rather than overdo it and turn the meat rubbery. Enjoy!
