Cajun Deep-Fried Southern Rocklobster Dumplings with Corn Bread and Cajun Sauce

Serves 1 - entrée/main

Ingredients

Sauce and garnish

200g Southern Rocklobster stock
1 pinch saffron
1 small jalapeño chilli, finely sliced
1 green onion, finely sliced
2 young sorrel leaves, deveined and very finely shredded
1 x 2cm thick slice corn bread - see below

Southern Rocklobster/deep-frying

50g green leg, knuckle and horn meat, roughly chopped
10g tapioca flour
small pinch fine salt
cajun dust (see below)
2 parsley flowers
30g tempura batter
Clean oil for deep-frying

Cajun dust

makes about 300g

10g coarse sea salt
3g whole white pepper
1g dried thyme
30g sweet paprika
10g turmeric
1g turmeric
1g dried marjoram
1g dried chilli
250g plain flour

Put the sea salt, whole pepper and dried thyme into a spice grinder and mill it until it is fine. Mix everything together and store in an airtight container.

Method

Put the stock and saffron on high heat and reduce by half. Mix the rocklobster meat, tapioca and salt together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To serve

Divide the lobster meat into two equal halves. Drop them into the Cajun dust and using two forks roll the two portions through the dust. Drop them into hot oil and fry until they are browned and crisped. Coat the parsley flowers with tempura batter and deep-fry. Warm the stock reduction and stir through the jalapeño, green onion and sorrel. Warm the corn bread and place it on a plate. Put the dumplings and parsley flowers on top and, sauce to one side and serve.

Paul Prudhomme's Corn Bread

Bakes 3 small loaves - makes 24 x 2 cm thick slices

Tablespoon soft butter
Tablespoon flour
600g full cream milk
300g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
350g cake flour
180g corn meal
190g caster sugar
100g corn flour
10g fine sea salt
20g cream of tartar
15g bicarbonate soda

Pre heat oven to 175°C - 345°F

Carefully butter and flour three loaf tins - we have been using silicon for years. Melt the butter, add the milk and warm it to blood temperature. Put all of the dry ingredients into an electric mixer and mix thoroughly. Slowly add the milk and butter and immediately divide between the three prepared tins.
Bake for 35 - 45 minutes and until golden and firm in the centers. Stand on a rack and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes drop the loaves from the forms and allow to cool completely. They are very fragile while they are hot. Slice and pack in individual serves in small take-away containers.

To serve

Lift an edge of the take-away container and steam for 4 minutes. Remove the lid, invert a warm plate over the top and then drop the corn bread onto the plate. Do not use implements as it will break into pieces.

Copyright © Text and images Australian Southern Rocklobster Limited and Ann Oliver 2008