The Best Crayfish Recipes For Party Season

1. Crayfish, Chilli & Guacamole Tacos

INGREDIENTS

• 12 crunchy taco shells
• 240g of crayfish tails or brown shrimps
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 200g of cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 chilli, finely chopped 
• 1 lime, halved
• 1 mango, peeled, stone removed, flesh chopped
• 160-200g of guacamole (a tub, or made from 2-3 avocados mashed with 1 red chilli and 1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped, lime juice and seasoning)
• ​Coriander leaves

METHOD

Heat the tacos in the microwave as instructed on the back of the packet. In a large bowl, mix the crayfish tails, chopped mango flesh, tomatoes, shallot, chilli and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in the tacos. Pile with guacamole and finely chopped coriander leaves. A blob of plain Greek yoghurt will do these proud to finish.

2. Mini Jackets With Crayfish, Sour Cream & Chives

INGREDIENTS

• 750g of seasonal new or baby potatoes
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil
• 150g of crayfish tails
• 100g of smoked salmon
• 100ml of soured cream
• 1 tbsp of capers, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 bag of chives, finely chopped

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Heat the olive oil in a large baking tray. When hot after a few minutes, add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and stir so they’re coated with the oil. Place in the oven. Mix the crayfish with the sour cream. Season with black pepper and salt if you wish. Additionally, you could include a finely chopped shallot with the mix for an allium kick – and capers if you like a tangy element. Roast for around 40 minutes until cooked through. Leave them to cool. Then slice a cross into each one and stuff with the tails. To finish, lay a sliver of salmon and the chives on top. Serve on a large plate to guests as nibbles.

3. Crayfish Sliders

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp of horseradish or 1 tbsp of wasabi paste
• 200g of crayfish or lobster tails, or brown shrimps
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 150g of creme fraiche
• 1 lemon
• 6 mini slider buns (brioche buns or hot-dog rolls)
• 1 handful of dill, finely chopped

METHOD

In a bowl, season the shrimps with salt and black pepper. Mix in the creme fraiche, dill, celery sticks and horseradish or wasabi paste. Finely grate in the zest of a lemon and squeeze in the juice. Stir the mix. Now split the rolls, griddle them and butter on all sides. Divide the shrimp mix and scatter on the rolls. Serve with ready-salted crisps or chips. 

4. Cray Teriyaki In Lettuce Cups

INGREDIENTS

• 200g of crayfish or lobster tails
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cubed
• 1 pepper, thinly sliced
• 2cm knob of ginger, peeled and grated
• Teriyaki (a bottle, or mix soy and rice wine vinegar in equal parts with half the amount of honey or sugar)
• 1 little gem lettuce
• 1 lime
• 1 bag of coriander, finely chopped

METHOD
Mix the cucumber, pepper, ginger and teriyaki together. Taste – season with salt if needed. On a plate, spread the lettuce leaves out in a star shape; each one will make a cup to hold the mix. Pile the cucumber, pepper and ginger mixture into each of the lettuce leaves, then top with the crayfish. Finish with some grated lime (or even yuzu) zest.

5. Avocado & Cayenne Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 2 avocados
• 200g of crayfish tails
• 1 bag of rocket 
• 1 tsp of mustard
• 100ml of double cream
• 1 lime
• 1 handful or packet of fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• Cayenne pepper
• Garlic seasoning granules

METHOD

Mix the crayfish with the double cream, mustard, salt and pepper. On a large serving plate, make a bed of rocket. Scoop out the flesh of the avocados and scatter over the leaves. Finely grate over the lime’s zest, drizzle in its juice, and season. Sprinkle over the crayfish mix. Add a pinch of spicy cayenne and garlic granules. Scatter tarragon across the top.