The iconic Australian way to enjoy seafood is in the height of summer, around a Christmas table, with a cold beer and a squeeze of lemon within arm’s reach. Cooked prawns peeled by hand, chilled oysters, and cold smoked salmon are the iconic trappings of an Australian’s summer seafood consumption.
In the colder months, our love for seafood can tend to fall to the wayside, and consumption drops significantly. But in reducing the amount of seafood we’re eating, we’re missing out on the many species that thrive in winter, not to mention the myriad health benefits of seafood! Taking inspiration from countries with colder climates almost year-round, we have found four ways to reignite your love of seafood in winter.
Shellfish in Sweden
The cold, clean waters of the North Atlantic Ocean act as a natural fattening room for shellfish, allowing them to grow to maturity with full, rich flavours. Langoustine, usually known as Scampi in Australia, is a popular choice on the West coast of Sweden for this reason.
The Swedish way to enjoy this delicacy is fresh, on a sandwich, with a large dollop of mayonnaise. Alternatively, throw these small shellfish under the grill, garnished with rosemary, parsley, garlic, chilli flakes, and lemon, for an appetiser that will have every guest licking their fingers.
Seafood Soup in Russia
You may not expect Russia to have a thriving seafood culture, but its countless lakes and rivers mean that certainly does! The best-known dish in the Northern Russian cookbook is a fish soup called Pomor Ukha, which combines sliced potatoes, peppercorns, chopped onion, hot milk, diced butter, and chopped herbs. As a substitute for the Cod traditionally used in this recipe, we recommend Blue Eye Trevalla, Mahi Mahi, or Barramundi, which have a similar flake and consistency.
Photo credit to foodperestroika.com.
Sweet and Sour Fish in China
Northern China is notorious for cold, harsh winters, and the region of Shandong along the northern coast is rich with seafood. Shandong cuisine is known as the ‘ancient mother’ of Northern Chinese cuisine, and heavily features fish alongside strong flavours (especially from the onion family) and lots of salt.
Sweet and sour fish is a classic dish from this region – golden, tender and delicious. The traditional way to cook this dish is to deep fry a whole fish, but as not everyone has the kitchen implements required for this, we recommend shallow-frying fillets instead (like in this recipe) for a similar, but simpler, effect.
Photo credit to omnivorescookbook.com.
Chowder in North America
Clam Chowder is one of the oldest and most quintessential American dishes, created in New England where the winters are long, cold, and commonly feature heavy snow. While comforting, Clam Chowder is an acquired taste, and if it doesn’t appeal to you, never fear – we have a few alternative suggestions that will warm you from the inside in the same way.
A seafood stew, using pink ling, is a great way to get your recommended seafood portions in, in a hearty and warming meal. This recipe from Taste.com.au features tomatoes and beans, and is flavoured with fresh coriander and ground turmeric – delicious!
Photo credit to taste.com.au.