Baby Vegetable and Yabby Salad

Yabbies have been enjoyed by indigenous Australians for many centuries. These unique freshwater crustaceans are delicious and versatile. In this recipe we match them with quality, seasonal vegetables.

Ingredients
20 Large Yabbies
1 Bunch of Baby Carrots
100g Snow Peas
100g Sugar Snap Peas
1 Punnet Grape Tomatoes or Semi Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 Clove of Garlic
3 Leaves of Basil
1 Bunch of English Spinach
1 Bunch Chives Chopped
1 Bunch Brocollini
1 Lebanese Cucumber julienned
Salt & Pepper to taste
100ml Njoi Olive Oil

Method:
Turn oven on to 140 Degrees and Cut Grape tomatoes in half
Drizzle with olive oil, then add chopped garlic, basil and salt and pepper
Place cut side up on oven tray cook for 20mins in oven or until they start to dry a little
In a small steamer fill with water and boil, also place a pot of hot water on for vegetables
Once boiling put half the yabbies in and cook for 3/5mins or until they go orange
After cooked pull out of steamer and cover with ice
Repeat process
Once Yabbies cool peel and Devine
Scrub baby carrots trimming of the tops, leaving some green and wash well
Top and tail snow peas and sugar snaps
Wash Baby English spinach and cut broccollini lengthways
Add tsp of salt to the boiling water and blanch carrots for 2mins then add the rest of the veg, except spinach for a further minute
Drain well while still warm toss the vegetables through yabbies, spinach, dried grape tomatoes, cucumber, the rest of the olive oil, chives and salt and pepper
Serve on a warm plate with a wedge of lemon

Chef's Tips:
Steam yabbies as there such a delicate flavour instead of boiling.
Dry the Grape tomatoes the day before.
Always use local fruit and veg, spring is the best time for baby veg.
For a dinner party have the vegetables pre-cooked and warm them up in the microwave remember when pre-cooking vegies to cool them down in ice water.
Drizzle with home-made aioli to really give the dish a lift.