(serves 6)

If you have been yearning for tuatua fritters but are unable to make it to a beach to collect tuatuas check whether your fishmonger has access to farmed tuatuas as they are available.

INGREDIENTS

2kg tuatua in shells (to yield 300g (2 cups) meat)

1 egg (lightly beaten)

60g (1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp) flour

45g (½ cup) fresh breadcrumbs

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

125g (1 small) onion (finely chopped)

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley leaves

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

clarified butter for cooking

juice of 1 lemon

Aioli

Crispy Chorizo

microgreens or small salad greens

METHOD

Soak tuatua overnight in cold water to remove sand.  Purchased tuatua most likely will have been soaked.  Check this with your fish monger.

Prise shells open; remove meat and place in a sieve to drain any excess water.  For this recipe you require 300g {2 cups} meat.  Finely chop tuatua meat.

Place tuatua meat, egg, flour, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, onion, parsley and seasoning into a medium-sized bowl and gently mix till it is just combined.

Heat to a medium- low heat a flat plate of a barbecue and add enough clarified butter so when it melts it covers the base of the flat plate.

Drop tablespoonfuls of fritter mix onto flat plate.  Cook slowly so that the flour in the mix is cooked. Turn and cook till brown on second side. Allow 10-15 minutes in total for cooking.

Drain on paper towels, season with lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Serve with Aioli and Crispy Chorizo. Garnish with microgreens or small salad greens.

Aioli

(makes 250ml)

INGREDIENTS

3-5 cloves garlic

½ tsp flaky sea salt

2 large egg yolks

60ml (4 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil

125ml (½ cup) canola or sunflower oil

30ml-45ml (2-3 tbsp) hot water

METHOD

Place garlic and salt into a mortar and, using a pestle, pound to a creamy paste.  Transfer paste to a bowl of a small food processor fitted with a metal blade.

Add egg yolks and process to combine.  With food processor running slowly drizzle in oils till a thick emulsion forms.  Pour in hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, till Aioli is a dropping consistency.

Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Crispy Chorizo

INGREDIENTS

80g-100g chorizo (cut into 3mm dice)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Place chorizo into a heavy-based pan set over medium heat.  When fat begins to render out of chorizo pour it off.  Continue to cook till chorizo is golden brown and no fat is exuding.

Place chorizo onto a low-sided roasting tray and place into oven.

Bake for 10 minutes or till crispy.  Drain on paper towels.

Photo Credit: Murray Lloyd