Nothing says Christmas like a juicy crayfish tail and glass of bubbles.

These crayfish tails are a very special gift from the sea and this recipe is a super quick, easy and delicious way to honour them.

AND @moana.co.nz will deliver them straight to your door! They’re so fresh they taste like you might have caught them yourself a couple of hours ago!

THE CRAYFISH

2 Moana crayfish tails
50 g butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced or more if you like it hot
5 large mint leaves, chopped finely
Small handful of coriander, chopped finely
Small handful fresh oregano, chopped finely
¼ c sherry vinegar
Salt to taste

THE GLAZE

2 T sweet chilli sauce
½ t smoked paprika
Squeeze of lemon or lime juice

Slice the crayfish tails in half lengthwise. (Cut along the middle of the gut from head to tail)

On a low to medium heat sauté the shallot, garlic and chilli in half the butter till soft and just beginning to brown.

Remove from pan and set aside. Don’t clean the pan.

Return pan to heat and turn up the heat to medium high. Add remaining butter and the olive oil and heat until melting and bubbly. Add the vinegar and deglaze for 1 minute. Turn pan to medium.

Place crayfish tails, flesh side down, in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and sear for 2 minutes. When they are brown and sizzling on the cut side, turn them over onto their backs.    

Return shallots, garlic and chilli to the pan around the tails and turn off the heat.

Place a wooden chopping board or large pot lid on top of the pan and leave to finish cooking, off the heat, for 1 - 2 minutes.

Mix the glaze ingredients together.

Toss the tails with the shallots so they’re all coated with that deliciousness and finish with a sprinkle of herbs.

Serve at the table with a drizzle of smoked paprika and chilli glaze.