GEOFF’s Sautéed Green Lip Abalone with Australian Bush Herbs, Desert and Finger Limes…

Growing up, our family holidays at Rotto were all about those secret abalone spots we’d guard like treasure – places only we knew where the black lips clung to the limestone ledges. I can still remember the thrill of free diving down, carefully prying them from the rocks, then racing back to our camp at Tree Tops with our precious haul. We kept things simple back then: a quick sauté over the camp barbecue or sometimes over a driftwood fire down at Strickland Bay, alongside freshly caught crayfish. The abalone was so fresh it barely needed anything – just heat, butter, and time. Dad’s Japanese bosses taught us their way with raw seafood – paper-thin sashimi-style abalone, fresh crayfish, Dhufish straight from the boat, and skipjack. My appreciation for raw seafood started early in life thanks to their patient teaching. This recipe honours those memories whilst elevating the dish with native herbs that would have grown wild around our driftwood fire. Sometimes the best food comes from the simplest moments.

GEOFF’s Sautéed Green Lip Abalone with Australian Bush Herbs, Desert and Finger Limes…

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"Green lip abalone sautéed and paired with Australian bush herbs, desert lime and finger lime pearls – a recipe that brings together some of the most distinctive native Australian ingredients around one of the country's most prized shellfish."

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: Dinner, Entrée, Share Plate

Cuisine: Australian

Calories: 158

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 1 Eyrewoolf greenlip abalone, snap frozen and thawed (approx. 200gm)
• 2-3 finger limes
• 4 desert limes, thinly sliced
• 2 gm native pepperberries, coarsely ground
• 2 gm dried saltbush leaves, crumbled
• 1 gm lemon myrtle, fine ground
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 20 gm unsalted butter
• 2-3 gm sea salt flakes, to taste

verjuice & native herb sauce (optional)

• 125 ml verjuice
• 80 ml Geoff's fish stock ( frozen cubes) or shop bought stock
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 30 gm cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 2-3 juice of finger lime (can use lime)
• 1-2 gm sea salt flakes, to taste

Equipment

• 1 Induction or gas stovetop

Method

 

1. 1.       Thaw and prepare: Thaw the snap-frozen abalone in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, slice vertically into 1mm slices – they should be almost translucent. Pat dry with paper towel. No tenderising needed; the freeze-thaw process has already done the tenderising work.

   2.       Season and rest: Combine the minced garlic, pepperberry, saltbush, and lemon myrtle and rub over the abalone slices. Lay the desert lime slices into the mix alongside the abalone. Rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. The acidity of the desert lime begins working gently on the surface of each slice.

   3.       Heat the pan: Set your induction to level 5 (gas medium–high flame) initially whilst preparing the abalone. Then increase to level 7 or high with gas. Use a heavy-based frying pan or teppanyaki plate. The surface must be very hot – a drop of water should evaporate on contact instantly.

   4.       Sear: Add the olive oil. When it shimmers, lay the abalone slices in a single layer – don’t crowd the pan. Cook for 45-60 second’s total. Watch the edges: when they begin to curl upward, the abalone is done. Remove immediately – every second past that curl is a second too long.

   5.       Finish: Add butter to the pan, squeeze finger lime caviar directly over the abalone, give a gentle toss, and serve at once.

Verjuice& Native Herb Sauce

1. 1.      After cooking the abalone, remove and keep warm

   2.      Add shallots to the teppanyaki plate, sauté until translucent

   3.      Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds

   4.      Deglaze with verjuice, scraping up any caramelised bits

   5.      Add fish stock and native herbs, reduce by half (about 3-4minutes)

   6.      Remove from heat, whisk in cold butter piece by piece

   7.      Finish with finger lime juice and season to taste

   8.      Strain if desired for a silky finish

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal

Notes

1. Arrange on a warmed share plate or individual entrée plates; spoon any pan juices over the top.
2. The desert lime slices from the rest make a natural garnish – they’ve absorbed all the herb seasoning and sit beautifully on the plate.
3. Wild rocket and warrigal greens with a finger lime vinaigrette alongside.
4. Sourdough or damper to catch the pan juices.
5. A chilled Clare Valley Riesling or Arneis cuts cleanly through the butter and native herbs.

Notes

1. No tenderising required: Snap-frozen abalone has been through a freeze-thaw process that relaxes the muscle fibres. Slicing vertically at 1mm is the technique – any thicker and the cook time pushes into tough territory.
2. The curl is your timer: When the edges of the thin slices begin to curl upward, the abalone is ready. Don’t wait for colour – by the time you see browning, it’s overdone.
3. Teppanyaki plate: Ideal for this recipe as it provides even heat distribution across a larger surface – particularly useful if you’re cooking for more than four.
4. Desert lime slices: Those that rest with the abalone soften slightly and carry the seasoning. Keep them – they’re part of the dish, not a discard.
5. Sourcing: If Eyrewoolf Greenlip abalone isn’t available, ask your fishmonger for snap-frozen Australian Greenlip with sustainability certification. Avoid farmed product without clear provenance.
6. Bush herb substitutes: Lemon thyme for lemon myrtle, cracked black pepper for pepperberry.

 

Fridge Friendly Instructions: Cooked abalone keeps for 1-2 days.

Freezer Friendly Instructions: Not recommended.

Nutrition Facts – 4 servings recipe (as an entrée)

Amount Per Serving | Calories 158 or Kilojoules 661 | Total fat 12gm, Saturated fat 3.5gm, Monounsaturated fat 6gm, Polyunsaturated fat 0.8gm, Trans fat 0gm | Cholesterol 30mg | Sodium 320mg | Potassium 100mg | Total Carbohydrate 4gm, Dietary Fibre 0.8gm, Sugars 1gm | Protein 8.5gm | Vitamin A 3%| Vitamin C 101% | Calcium 2%| Iron 5%.

*The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie / 8370 Kilojoule diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie/kilojoule needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated.

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