Iconic Icebergs recipes: Warm butter-poached Moreton Bay bugs with a kipfler, witlof, artichoke and tarragon salad

Name: Warm butter-poached Moreton Bay bugs with a kipfler, witlof, artichoke and tarragon salad recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 250g unsalted butter; 3 garlic cloves, smashed; 2 fresh bay leaves; 30.00 ml premium soy sauce; 30.00 ml sherry vinegar; 600g green Balmain bug or Moreton Bay bug meat; Soft fresh bread, to serve; 12 small kipfler potatoes; 50ml premium extra virgin olive oil; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 3 handfuls of soft yellow frisée lettuce or sliced witlof; 3 handfuls of watercress; 1 handful picked tarragon leaves; 125.00 ml plain labneh; 6 cocktail onions, sliced into quarters; 4 x 6-minute soft-boiled eggs; 2 tsp Aleppo pepper (substitute 1/2 tsp chilli flakes); 6 artichoke hearts in brine, drained, sliced in half and pan-fried (see notes); Lemon wedges, to serve

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P111 Warm butter-poached Moreton Bay bugs with a kipfler, witlof, artichoke and tarragon salad

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by Karen Martini

CHEF

Dec 15, 2022

“This was a ‘king’ of a main course salad that featured on the Icebergs opening menu and stayed for quite a long time. It’s a dish I revisit often at my current restaurant Hero, in Melbourne. The bugs gently cook in the browned butter, while the butter seems to seep into the flesh, making the bugs velvety and just stunningly tasty.”

250g unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 fresh bay leaves
1 1/2 tbs premium soy sauce
1 1/2 tbs sherry vinegar
600g green Balmain bug or Moreton Bay bug meat
Soft fresh bread, to serve

Kipfler and witlof salad

12 small kipfler potatoes
50ml premium extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 handfuls of soft yellow frisée lettuce or sliced witlof
3 handfuls of watercress
1 handful picked tarragon leaves
1/2 cup plain labneh
6 cocktail onions, sliced into quarters
4 x 6-minute soft-boiled eggs
2 tsp Aleppo pepper (substitute 1/2 tsp chilli flakes)
6 artichoke hearts in brine, drained, sliced in half and pan-fried (see notes)
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1.

To prepare potatoes, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes or until very tender. Drain and toss in half the oil, season and set aside, keeping warm.
2.

Meanwhile, prepare the bugs. Add the butter, garlic and bay leaves to a deep, medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook for about 8 minutes until the butter is light brown. Remove from heat, stir in soy and sherry vinegar. Arrange bugs in base of pan. Return to heat and cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Stand for 3 minutes to finish cooking in residual heat.
3.

Combine lemon juice and remaining oil and season. Combine frisée lettuce or witlof, watercress and tarragon in a bowl and dress lightly with the lemon juice dressing.
4.

Spoon some labneh onto a serving platter. Slice kipflers and arrange over the labneh. Add cocktail onions and dressed leaves. Break open the soft eggs and nestle in the leaves. Add cooked bugs, reserving the cooking juices, sprinkle the bug tails with a little Aleppo pepper and add fried artichokes. Spoon over the reserved cooking juices and squeeze over lemon wedges to serve.
5.

Alternatively, divide the ingredients among individual serving plates.

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Recipe Notes

To prepare the artichokes, drain well and toss in a mixture of semolina and flour until well coated. Pan-fry in olive oil over medium heat until crisp and golden. Season well with salt and pepper.