Servings: 4

Roasted Walnuts: subheading: Roasted Walnuts:
15g walnut halves 15g walnut halves
 
Fennel Purée: subheading: Fennel Purée:
grapeseed oil, for frying grapeseed oil, for frying
2 medium bulbs fennel, 3mm slices 2 medium bulbs fennel, 3mm slices
100ml olive oil 100ml olive oil
salt, to taste salt, to taste
 
Pickled Jicama: subheading: Pickled Jicama:
100g Jicama, peeled, julienne 100g Jicama, peeled, julienne
1 cup white vinegar 1 cup white vinegar
3 tbsp sugar 3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt 1 tbsp salt
 
Brown Butter Emulsion: subheading: Brown Butter Emulsion:
1 egg 1 egg
220g unsalted butter 220g unsalted butter
10g white vinegar, to taste 10g white vinegar, to taste
salt, to taste salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. Fill a sous vide machine with water and heat to 75°C. Prepare a hibachi grill if using. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil.
For the Roasted Walnuts, scatter walnuts over a small, lined tray and toast for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool then chop roughly.
For the Fennel Purée, heat oil in a medium frypan over low-medium heat. Add the fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Season with salt and remove from the heat to cool slightly. Place into a food processor along with olive oil and blend to a puree. Pass through a sieve and set aside.
For the Pickled Jicama, place the jicama into a heatproof bowl. Place vinegar, sugar and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until 80°C then remove from the heat and pour over the jicama. Set aside at room temperature to pickle then drain well to serve.
For the Brown Butter Emulsion, carefully place egg into sous vide machine and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the water and place into an ice bath to cool.
Meanwhile, place butter into a medium-large frypan and heat until butter starts browns and has a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat. Pour through a fine sieve into a jug.
Once egg has cooled, peel egg carefully and place into the canister of a stick blender. Process until egg white and yolk is somewhat combined to form a pale yellow colour. Ensure the browned butter is 65 to 70°C then slowly pour into the food processor, while the motor is running. Process until emulsified. Taste and season with vinegar and salt. Transfer to piping bag.
For the Moreton Bay Bugs, preheat a grill pan if using. Remove the heads from the bugs and insert a skewer into each tail. Place into the simmering water and blanch for 90 seconds. Transfer to the ice bath and allow to cool.
Cut the tails in half lengthways. Place cut side down onto hibachi grill or grill pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until just cooked through. Grill for one minute only if ice water was not on hand earlier to stop the cooking process. Carefully remove meat from the shells.
To serve, place a 6cm cookie cutter off centre onto the plate, and fill with a generous spoonful of the fennel puree. Smooth puree out to edges and remove cookie cutter. Repeat on remaining plates. Arrange bugs on top of puree. Top with pickled Jicama. Sprinkle walnuts over the bugs and finish with fennel sprigs. Pipe emulsion onto the plates to finish.