Lemon Myrtle Crusted Crocodile

Now when we think of crocodilewe think   of  those   fierce  creatures  lining the coast and creeks of our far north, feeding on anything that gets  in  their  way,  and  for  this reason it might tend to scare some people off  trying  this  wonderful meat.

Crocodile  has a  unique texture  that is available in a variety of cuts,   the most popular being  the tail, and  also croc  legs and  croc ribs are quite commonly used too. It has a taste that’s quite similar to that of pork or chicken.

Croc meat is  very  versatile and can  be grilled,  fried,  barbecued, and even stewed.  And compared to  other meats, crocodile  is very  healthy being low in fat,  low in  calories and high in protein, and is also a good source of niacin.

The  best  way to cook  this  amazing  meat is to keep  it quite  simple. It  should  not  be over-cooked  to prevent it  becoming  tough and  dry and a good guide is to cook  it l ike a prawn. It matches well with lemon flavours or even a mild bbq marinade. In this recipe I am going to  give  the croc a  Lemon Myrtle crust which  will give it bushy lemon flavour  while still leaving room to taste the meat.

Lemon Myrtle is the leaf of the tree that has an exceptional lemon flavour not unlike lemon grass. And the aroma is just magnificent. It sets any dish alight with just the smell.

It can  be found in nearly  every major supermarket,  specialty deli's, you will even find it in the  odd corner store and  you can buy it in almost  any form, crushed, whole, dried, fresh or ground depending on what you are using it for.

Lemon myrtle  matches  well with  fish or chicken and goes well in a dressing or marinade or even tossed through some rice or  steamed vegies. It is even great to use for a smoking agent for a nice fish fillet. It is so versatile you can use it on just about anything to freshen up your meal and add a twist to your old favourites.

In this recipe I am going to put a lemon  myrtle  crust  on the  crocodile and serve it with a light mayonnaise to balance out the strong flavours of the lemon myrtle and serve it with a small salad. The mayonnaise is a very basic recipe and you can add other flavours to it for different dishes.

500g Crocodile tail
2 Tsp ground Lemon Myrtle
2 egg yolks
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup oil

Gently  roll  the crocodile  into  the Lemon  Myrtle  lightly  covering  the  outside. Cut  into bite-sized medallions and grill each side in a hot pan  being careful not to  over-cook.  For the mayonnaise, whisk together the egg yolks and  mustard  then  slowly  pour  in  the oil while whisking  vigorously. The  oil  should  be  moving  in  a  slow  steady stream and the mayonnaise will thicken. Add some salt to taste. This will  serve  2-4  people and is  great for an entree and a perfect  alternative to your garlic prawns or smoked salmon.