Chefs' Recipes

Yabby jaffles

Recipe for yabby jaffles by Sean McConnell from Canberra restaurant Monster.

By Sean McConnell
  • 20 mins preparation
  • 20 mins cooking plus freezing
  • Serves 6
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Yabby jaffles
"A version of the yabby jaffle first came about at Mocan & Green Grout, where we served the cooked yabby meat with crème fraîche and horseradish on brioche toast as an appetiser," says Sean McConnell. "The yabby jaffle was created during a very late-night menu-planning session with my friend Bernd Brademann from A Baker. As much as anything, I like how those two words roll off the tongue together. They are super-tasty, though."

Ingredients

  • 18 live yabbies (see note)
  • 100 gm crème fraîche
  • 30 gm finely grated horseradish
  • 5 small golden shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • For spreading: softened butter
  • 12 slices fluffy white sandwich bread
  • 120 gm (1½ cups) grated Gruyère
Court-bouillon
  • 500 ml dry white wine
  • 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 4 fresh bay leaves
  • A few parsley stalks

Method

Main
  • 1
    Place yabbies in freezer in preparation to despatch. Meanwhile, for court-bouillon, place ingredients and 4 litres water in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, add yabbies in batches and simmer until yabbies turn pink (about 4 minutes). Remove with tongs and refresh in iced water. Drain and peel as you would prawns, then chop into 1cm dice and refrigerate until required.
  • 2
    Heat a jaffle iron. Combine the crème fraîche, horseradish, shallots, chives and lemon juice, add yabby meat and season with sea salt to taste. Butter bread slices with softened butter and place half the slices butter-side down on a sheet of baking paper. Spread a generous amount of the yabby mixture on top, scatter with Gruyère and sandwich with remaining bread, butter-side up. Toast in a jaffle iron until golden brown and serve.

Notes

Note Live yabbies need to be ordered from your fishmonger, or you can substitute 36 medium prawns; poach them in a similar method as the yabbies or buy cooked prawns.
Drink Suggestion: 2009 Gallagher Blanc de Blancs. Drink suggestion by Michael Gray