Abalone Fritters with Bread and Butter (aka Tip Top Tacos) By Analiese Gregory These fritters are about as old-school Kiwi as you can get. They come with memories of the shore, at- taching an old enamel hand mincer to a picnic table and mincing paua (the Maori name for abalone) to fry in patties on the barbecue. These days it seems like a very luxurious thing to do, and even though I now have more re昀椀ned abalone recipes I still make them as a beachside snack for friends when I’ve been diving. 1 abalone (weight in shell 400 g/14 oz, or Clean the abalone by removing it from the 170g/6 oz abalone meat; you can use fresh or shell, pulling the guts away from the meat and frozen, either will work) trimming off any leftover pieces. I often use a ½ shallot, 昀椀nely chopped small pair of scissors for this. 1 egg white ¼ bunch coriander (cilantro) Dice the abalone into 2 cm (¾ in) pieces and ½ teaspoon chilli condiment, such as sambal either run twice through a hand mincer or or sriracha pulse in a food processor until no large chunks 100 g (3½ oz) soft butter remain. Combine with the shallot, egg white, 8 slices soft white sandwich bread* coriander and chilli condiment and season with any other condiments you deem 昀椀t sea salt to taste. Mix well, then use your hands to shape 8 balls. Heat a heavy-based frying pan. Add about 20 g (¾ oz) of the butter, then drop an abalone ball into the pan – it should be hot enough that it sizzles – and 昀氀atten to form a fritter. Fry each for approximately 2–3 minutes, adding more butter if required, 昀氀ipping when coloured underneath. Butter your bread, then add the fritters and any condiments you want, such as lemon, sweet chilli sauce or tartare sauce. * New Zealand’s cheap white bread is called Tip Top, hence this recipe’s name. Just grab whatever local brand you have that’s reminiscent of sausage sizzles and beachside snacks. This is an edited extract from How Wild Things Are by Analiese Gregory, published by Hardie Grant Books , RRP $45. Available in stores nationally. Photographer: ©Adam Gibson