Paua In Champagne

Total Time: 9 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 8 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 750 g paua (roughly 15 –20)
• 300 ml cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 spanish onion, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 dash fresh ground black pepper
• 1 bottle sweet champagne
• 1 dash cornflour, if needed
• 1 dash balsamic vinegar

Recipe

• 1 drown paua in fresh water for minimum 6 hours max 8 hours or until flesh is limp to touch.
• 2 shuck flesh from shell and trim off skirt and gut, place flesh to one side, bury shells and trimmings in veggie patch.
• 3 heat butter, saute onion and ginger in large frypan until golden brown.
• 4 add at last minute black pepper, saute for further 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• 5 pour in champagne with heat at very very low simmer.
• 6 do not allow to boil at any time; this is critical.
• 7 add paua, cover and cook at very low simmer for 1 to 1& 1/2 hours.
• 8 remember don’t let it boil or your paua will toughen to boot soles texture.
• 9 remove paua and place to one side covered to keep warm, add stock and cream to remaining liquid in pan.
• 10 bring to boil, reduce liquid to warm honey consistency.
• 11 this should literally take only a minute.
• 12 add balsamic vinegar, say one teaspoon.
• 13 turn heat off, add warm paua, stir to coat in gravy/jus.
• 14 serving suggestion: arrange paua over steamed plain rice and serve with a lettuce tomato salad of your choice.
• 15 dressing- suggest just cider vineger, olive oil, fresh ground black pepper, a little mild english mustard.
• 16 if you have done this right it is heaven.
• 17 the most important ingredient is patience.
• 18 don’t let it boil.
• 19 your taste buds will reward you.