Ben Bayly’s Pāua Braise

New Zealand pāua or the black foot abalone is a special ingredient, this simple pāua braise recipe is super simple and versatile. You can have it as a dish of its own or it could be a garnish for a fish dish.

Tips: Pāua does not like to be over cooked, it gets super chewy! I always take my pāua live.

Ingredients & Methods

Braised pāua

  • 2 Pāua
  • 6 shallots
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 red chilli
  • 250ml white wine
  • 250ml Pernod
  • 1L Fish stock
  • Olive oil

Pāua to finish

  • Paua stock from braised pāua recipe.
  • 1 Lemon zest and juice

Braised pāua

  1. Slice shallots and garlic and then sweat down in a pan. Once they start to go golden add the pāua, foot side down.
  2. Add about 50ml of olive oil and then add the white wine, reduce on a medium heat until almost all absorbed, add the pernod and reduce slightly to cook off the alcohol.
  3. Add the chilli and 1L heated fish stock. Cover with tin foil and cook in a deck oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 150℃.
  4. Test if the pāua is cooked by trying to lift off the shell. If it comes off easily then it is cooked, leave to cool down slowly in the liquid.
    (save liquid to make sauce)

Pāua to finish

  1. While the pāua is cooling down, remove the livers and break them up so the stock can take on the flavour.
  2. Pass the stock and season with lemon zest and juice
  3. Take the warm paua and shave into a serving dish.
  4. Pour the the paua sauce over the shaved paua and serve in a small bowl.
  5. Serve immediately.
  6. Garnish with your favourite herbs.