A quick yet deeply flavourful dish built around the bold, umami-rich punch of XO sauce. Using a quality XO sauce, such as Lee Kum Kee or Lin Lin, makes all the difference, while a generous knob of cold butter stirred through at the end creates a silky, restaurant-quality sauce in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Goolwa PipiCo Fresh Pipis
- 3 tablespoons ghee or neutral cooking oil
- 3 tablespoons XO sauce (Lee Kum Kee or Lin Lin recommended)
- 150 g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1–2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley or coriander, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
To Serve
- Toasted sourdough bread
Method
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a large, heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add 500 g of the pipis, cover immediately with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the pipis have opened. Transfer to a bowl, reserving any natural cooking liquid.
- Repeat twice more with the remaining ghee and pipis, cooking in three 500 g batches. Cooking in batches ensures the pipis open quickly rather than steaming, resulting in tender, juicy meat.
- Return all of the cooked pipis to the pan. Add the XO sauce and gently toss until every pipi is evenly coated.
- Add the cold butter a few cubes at a time, gently shaking or stirring the pan until it melts into a glossy, emulsified sauce. Add a splash of the reserved natural cooking liquid or water if needed to achieve a silky consistency.
- Scatter generously with the parsley or coriander and serve immediately with plenty of toasted sourdough to soak up every last drop of the sauce.
Cook’s Tip: Cooking pipis in small batches is the key to this recipe. Overcrowding the pan causes them to steam rather than open quickly, which can make the meat tougher and prevent the sauce from developing its full flavour.
