Balmain Bugs with Mango Sauce (Australia)
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Balmain bugs simmered until the shells blush orange-red, then shelled and paired with a tropical mango sauce spiked with Thai chili and lemon. A quick Australian seafood dish that’s ready in 15 minutes flat.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
6 minCOOK
6 minREADY
15 minIf you’ve never cooked Balmain bugs, you’re in for a treat, mate.
These flat, sweet-fleshed slipper lobsters are an Aussie treasure. A quick simmer is all they need before you crack them open and pull out that tender, succulent meat.
The mango sauce brings the tropical heat: fresh mango blitzed with sour cream, lemon juice, a touch of brown sugar, and a kick of Thai chili sauce.
It’s the kind of dish you eat barefoot on a deck somewhere overlooking the harbour.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t overcook the bugs. Four to five minutes in simmering (not rolling boiling) water keeps the flesh tender. Overcooked shellfish turns rubbery fast.
- Use kitchen scissors to cut along the soft underbelly. It’s much easier than trying to crack the hard top shell.
- If you can’t find Balmain bugs, Moreton Bay bugs or lobster tails work as substitutes.
- Make the mango sauce ahead and keep it chilled. It thickens in the fridge, so thin it with a splash of lemon juice before serving.
Ingredients
Directions
Lower bugs into large pan of lightly salted boiling water.
Simmer uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes or until shells have changed to an orange red color.
Gently separate the heads from the bodies.
Use a pair of sharp kitchen scissors to cut along the soft underside of the bugs.
Pull shell apart and ease out the flesh.
Cut each piece of flesh in half, lengthways.
To make the mango Sauce, peel the mango(s), remove the seeds and roughly chop flesh.
Place flesh in a food processor.
Add sour cream, juice, sugar and sauce.
Process for 20 to 30 seconds or until smooth.
Refrigerate, covered, until needed.
If the sauce is too thick, add a little extra cream or juice.
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