Top Seafood Species for Christmas
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Christmas is everyone’s favourite time to eat Australian seafood… But how do you know which species are in We’ve picked the brains of Sydney Fish Market’s Seafood Trading team, dug deep into the supply data, and chatted to on-site retailers to get you the scoop on what’s going to be fresh and delicious this festive season.  While King Prawns are Australia’s most popular species of prawn, their large size can also mean they fall on the pricier side. However, a rule of thumb that you might not know is: the smaller the prawn, the sweeter the taste. Little School Prawns are often deemed the sweetest of them all, and an added bonus of their petite size is that they are able to be used in a huge variety of ways. Try tossing cooked ones in a roll or a prawn cocktail with some fresh lettuce and kewpie mayo, or – our favourite trick – deep-frying them whole. Yes, you can eat the heads, shells, legs and tails!  Available wild-caught and farmed, various regional species of these marine crustaceans are found all over Australia. By far the most valuable commercial species in Australia (worth over half the value of total Australian finfish catch), they are caught mainly in pots and mostly exported. These are a premium species, and as such, deserve a thoughtful approach. Whatever you do, make sure that the Lobster is the star! Sashimi, in a salad, or on the barbecue. Our best two tips for selecting a good specimen are to make sure that the shell is firm (this will indicate that the tail is full of meat) and to, wherever possible, choose the smallest Rock Lobster available. It is usually better (flavour-wise) to get a few 500g lobsters than one that weighs 1-2kg.  Tiger Flathead consistently lands in the top 3 species (by weight) traded through Sydney Fish Market’s auction, and its peak seasons are in December and February. These appropriately named bottom-dwelling marine fish have flat-triangular shaped heads and long tapering bodies, and are endemic to Australia. Tiger Flathead have a slightly sweet flavour, low oiliness and medium textured flesh with fine flakes. Our two favourite ways to cook Flathead are wrapped in banana leaves and baked or barbecued, or battered for fish and chips.  Most commercial catch of Southern Calamari comes from the pristine waters of South Australia. Cooler ocean temperatures create a clean, subtly oceanic flavour that puts this species squarely at the top of the list of Australia’s most highly prized cephalopods. Neil Perry would char Southern Calamari on an open fire (or a barbecue, if you don’t have the Margaret kitchen at your disposal!), and dress it with a simple, punchy marinade like Salmoriglio. Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with UPCOMING CLASSES  |
