Scientific Name: Melo melo

These beautiful shells have a delicious hidden secret inside. The name “Bailer Shell” comes from European settlers whose boats were stuck and had to be bailed out by Aboriginal people using the shells as a scoop. Harvested from the wild, they are found on sand and mud up to depths of 180m. They are harvested by trawling along the south-east coast of Australia, including Tasmania. Once you get the meat out of the shell, they are very similar in taste and texture to Abalone. They work well in a stir-fry and pair well with flavours like chilli, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and sesame oil. You can also steam, poach, pan-fry, stir-fry, barbecue, braise, or eat raw (sashimi). Why not try something a little adventurous and gain a beautiful ornamental shell at the end for your efforts?