with local crayfish from the Tora Collective

Jono Hobden
(serves 8; entree)

INGREDIENTS

• 500g Agria potatoes
• 125g flour
• 1 egg yolk
• Pinch of salt

METHOD

• Peel and cut potato into chunks, soak in cold water for 2 hours
• Rinse away the starchy water and cover with fresh water and a pinch of salt and boil potatoes until soft but not falling apart
• Drain potatoes and leave for 5 minutes to let potatoes dry
• Mash using a ricer or mouli (a fork will work also)
• Mix with flour and egg by hand until dough comes together in a nice mass
• Divide the mix and roll by hand into logs
• Cut to your desired size and place on a lightly floured surface until required

Crayfish

INGREDIENTS

• 2x 500g Tora Collective crayfish

METHOD

• To cook crayfish first wrap them in a tea towel and place in freezer for two hours, this is a humane way to shut down their nervous system before cooking
• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, place crayfish in water and boil for 8 minutes, remove and place in icy cold water to stop cooking
• Remove tails from the bodies and scoop meat from tails and slice, reserve both.

Crayfish Stock

INGREDIENTS

• 30 ml Lot8 Cooking Olive Oil
• 1 carrot
• 1 fennel
• 1 onion
• 50g tomato paste
• 2x reserved crayfish bodies
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 10 black peppercorns

METHOD

• In a large pot, lightly fry in olive oil, diced carrot, fennel and onion until lightly coloured
• Add tomato paste and continue to cook for another 4 minutes
• Add crayfish bodies and cover with cold water
• Add thyme and peppercorns, bring to a simmer
• After 45 minutes strain off the stock into a clean pot.

Bisque Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 30g ginger (peeled and sliced)
• 1 stick of celery (sliced)
• 1/2 bulb of fennel (sliced)
• 75g butter
• 15g dried urban harvest dried oyster mushrooms (reserve some to serve)
• 15g Parkvale button mushrooms
• 100g tomato passata
• 50ml white wine
• Reserved crayfish stock
• 5 juniper berries
• 2 star anise
• 5 cardamon pods
• Zest of 1 orange and lemon
• 50g creme fraiche
• Salt

METHOD

• (Rehydrate oyster mushrooms in hot water 15 minutes before starting this step and strain)
• In a pot melt butter until bubbly, add ginger, lemongrass, celery and fennel. Lightly cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Add both mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes, add white wine and cook until wine has nearly evaporated, add tomato paste and cook till nearly dry.
• Add crayfish stock and bring to a simmer, add juniper, star anise, cardamon and citrus. Remove from heat and let stand to infuse for 30 minutes.
• Strain into a clean pot and reduce by 2/3s and add creme fraiche.
• Season to taste

To Serve

• In a pot bring salted water to the boil add gnocchi to boiling water, when the gnocchi float to the surface remove with a slotted spoon and add to the Bisque Sauce
• In a pan heat up butter and lightly fry oyster mushrooms and toss through crayfish tail until warm. Add parsley, coriander, tarragon or lemon juice (optional)
• Coat gnocchi in sauce and place on the base of a plate, top with crayfish and mushrooms