Seafood boil

• olive oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• cooking chorizo↗200g g

  sliced into thick coins

• large onion↗1

  cut into wedges

• Cajun seasoning2 tbsp tbsp

  plus 2 tsp for flavouring the butter

• chicken stock cubes↗2
• lemon↗1

  halved, plus extra wedges to serve

• bunch of parsley↗1

  leaves and stalks separated and finely chopped

• new potatoes↗1kg g
• corn on the cobs↗4

  each cut into 2-3 pieces

• mixed seafood1.5kg g

  defrosted if frozen (we used 4 lobster tails, 4 velvet swimmer crabs and 18 large raw shell-on prawns)

• butter↗100g g
• garlic cloves↗2

  finely grated

• hot saucea few dashes

  to taste

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a stockpot, very large saucepan or casserole over a medium heat and sizzle the chorizo for 6-8 mins or until crisp and the fat has been released. Scoop out onto a plate, leaving the oil behind. Scatter the onion into the pan and cook for a few minutes to soften. Sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning and stir for 1 min to coat. Pour in 3 litres of water, crumble in the stock cubes, squeeze in the lemon juice, then drop in the lemon halves and parsley stalks and bring everything to a simmer.

2. 2

   Tip the potatoes into the broth and simmer for 10 mins, then add the corn and lobster tails, if using, and simmer for 5 mins more. Finally add the crab and prawns (if using raw velvet crab then add thus with the lobster). Simmer for a final 5 mins until the prawns are pink and cooked through and the potatoes are tender.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Stir in the garlic and cook gently for 1-2 mins. Add 2 tsp Cajun seasoning, a shake of hot sauce and about 2 tbsp of the cooking broth to loosen. Stir in the parsley leaves and take off the heat. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the seafood, potatoes and corn onto a large platter or tray, discarding the onion, lemon and parsley stalks. Scatter over the cooked chorizo and drizzle everything with the herby butter. Serve with extra lemon wedges for squeezing.