1. Defrost crayfish tails, if frozen, in a pot of cold water for 30 minutes or more, until fully thawed. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Using sharp kitchen scissor, cut the top shell down the centre of the back to the end of the tail, leaving tail fan intact. Remove vein or shell shards, if any. Run your finger between the meat and the shell to loosen it. Spread the meat slightly open. Pull and lift the meat off of the bottom of the shell, being careful not to pull the tail out.
3. Season crayfish generously with salt, pepper and crushed chillies.
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp garlic butter in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat.
5. Sear crayfish tails, flesh side down in the pan, for 2 minutes until edges are crisp and golden.
6. Flip all tails, cover pan and let cook for a further 1-2 minutes, or until shells are pink and meat has just cooked through, be careful not to overcook!
7. Transfer crayfish tails to a plate.
8. Melt 3 tbsp garlic butter in the same pan while scraping up any browned bits; sauté spring onions, crushed chillies, chopped coriander and garlic until transparent and fragrant (about 1 minute).
9. Reduce heat to low. Pour in cream mix, add cream cheese, parmesan cheese and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for 1 minute. Season with a little salt and pepper to your taste and let cook until the parmesan cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened slightly. Taste test sauce and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
10. Add the crayfish tails back into sauce drizzle with sauce over on low heat for 3 minutes. Squeeze some lemon juice over. Top with parsley or coriander and sprinkle of parmesan cheese and serve IMMEDIATELY. Perfect to go with a savory rice or steamed veggies or a fresh salad.

Notes

How do you open a crayfish tail?

• Hold a crayfish tail in one hand, or place it on a bench top supporting it with your hand. With the shell facing up, cut down through the centre of the back to the end of the tail, leaving tail fan intact.
• With your thumbs, open the shell to loosen it from the meat, opening the meat away from the shell side walls.
• Carefully pull the meat up from the bottom of the shell to separate the shell from the meat underneath it and place the meat on top.

Fresh or frozen

• For the best seared crayfish results, we buy fresh crayfish the morning of cooking and store them in the refrigerator.
• You can also buy frozen and thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. If you’re in a hurry and need to thaw them faster, place them in a pot filled with cold water for about half an hour, then thoroughly pat them dry with paper towel before cooking.
• Please don’t be tempted to microwave them or put them in hot water to quicken the thawing process. Slow thawing is best when it comes to seafood.