Marron are freshwater crayfish endemic to Australia. Primarily farmed in dams, but also found in billabongs, they have a sweet, delicate, almost nutty flavour. They have translucent flesh that firms and turns opaque when cooked. While the shell of a live marron can vary from greenish black to electric blue, its colourful transition to bright orange when cooked is magical to watch.
The way to do justice to live seafood is by handling it with respect, killing it just prior to eating it and grilling it perfectly. When you source live seafood and kill it yourself, not only do you have a greater appreciation of the animal, but it tastes better as a result, too.
We opened Firedoor with this dish and it instantly became a firm favourite, capturing my philosophy of native ingredients speaking for themselves through the medium of fire. At the restaurant, we encourage our guests to appreciate the whole marron, including the sweet flesh from the claws as well as the succulent tail, and to combine these with the brain, coral, liver and the juices, which set to form a creamy custard. These elements combine well with the salty succulence of the native beach herbs and the fresh citrus pop of the finger lime.