For so many Aussies, Christmas equals stress...whether you're balancing the budget, adjudicating family politics, or trying to find the perfect present for the last grumpy Uncle on the list. While we can't help you with Uncle George, we can take one thing off your plate: planning the perfect seafood spread!
Seafood is a staple of Australian Christmas tables, but often the huge variety available can become overwhelming... If you find yourself leaving Sydney Fish Market on Christmas Eve with the same old prawns and oyster combo you always get, we’re here to teach you how to create the varied, innovative, and impressive seafood spread you’ve always dreamed of.
All of these tips can be adapted to suit the size of your gathering, your budget, and your personal preferences. And remember, when in doubt, you can always check out the massive collection of seafood recipes on our website for inspiration!
STEP ONE: HOW MUCH SEAFOOD TO BUY
The first step to planning the perfect Christmas spread is determining exactly how much food you need. It’s always better to have too much than too little, but you don’t want to have huge amounts of wastage after your guests head home.
Use this cheat sheet to figure out exactly how much seafood you’ll need per person.
Remember to bring an esky along with you on your Christmas trip to Sydney Fish Market, and ask the fishmonger to pack some ice with your purchase to keep it fresh on the journey home. Then, store everything in the coldest part of your fridge.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to eat your seafood straight away… Most seafood species will keep for 3-5 days in the right conditions, so don’t stress too much about it going bad. When in doubt, ask your fishmonger how best to store the species you’ve chosen, check out the storage FAQ’s on our website, or use your nose – we promise, it'll tell you if something isn't edible.
STEP TWO: WHAT SEAFOOD TO BUY
Once you’ve planned out how much food you’ll need for your guests, it’s time to decide what you’re going to buy. Now here's the ultimate tip: think about species first, recipes second. This allows you to address two key areas...
Budget
Hey big spender! If you’re willing to splash out for the special occasion, your options are endless.
We recommend buying from a variety of different seafood categories to really make your seafood spread shine: get a crustacean (Rock Lobster, Bugs, or Crab are great choices), a whole fish for a fantastic centrepiece, or some fillets for the main course, some bivalves (scallops, mussels, or the crowd favourite – oysters), some prawns of course, and some octopus or squid.
The variety will impress any guest, especially if you cook them all in different ways.
If you’re working with a tighter budget (as most of us are at the moment!), we recommend trying some species you haven’t heard of before.
The prices of fish like Snapper, Atlantic Salmon, and Barramundi go up slightly around Christmastime in response to demand, while lesser-known species (that are just as delicious), are readily available and significantly cheaper.
So, instead of Snapper, try some Bream or Perch. Replace your Atlantic Salmon with Ocean or Rainbow Trout. Try some Ling or Mulloway instead of Barramundi. Again, if in doubt, ask your fishmonger what is good quality and in-season – they’ll even tell you how to cook it!
Hot and Cold Elements
The perfect seafood spread has to be well-balanced, not only in flavour, but in temperature. Too many hot dishes will overwhelm your guests, especially in the height of summer, but too many cold ones lower the satisfaction factor.
We recommend spreading your dishes evenly across hot and cold… Picking two from each of the below lists is a great start:
Hot Seafood Dishes
Cold Seafood Dishes
STEP 3: CREATE A STAR CENTREPIECE
Nothing takes a Christmas seafood spread to the next level quite like a star centrepiece. There are a few options in this category that are certain to impress even the most discerning grandparent.
A whole fish is a budget-friendly option that is far easier to achieve than you think. Whole fish are significantly cheaper than fillets, and look incredible on the table. You can steam, deep-fry, bake, or BBQ a whole fish easily, and then all your guests have to do is serve themselves, pulling a section of meat from the bone with their knife and fork.
Some of our favourite whole fish recipes are:
If a whole fish isn’t your thing, some other options for a centrepiece include a large Eastern Rock Lobster (you can either serve it Thermidor or from the BBQ), some assorted crustaceans baked in garlic (like in this recipe), a homemade sushi platter (as described here), or a large squid (stuffed like in this recipe looks particularly impressive).
STEP 4: SALADS AND SIDES
The final thing to consider for a truly stellar Christmas spread is all the extras. Salads and sides are easy and quick to assemble, but are often an afterthought.
Any of these salad recipes will be just as impressive as your mains:
A selection of simple sides also makes for a decadent and exciting gathering, whether you serve them as appetisers before the main event, or scatter them about a large table for everyone to pick at as they chase after the kids.
Some of our favourite smaller seafood snacks are:
STEP 5: EAT UP!
Remember, a seafood spread doesn’t have to be expensive to be impressive – plenty of Australian species come into their prime around Christmas and are exceedingly cheap.
Depending on how many guests you’re hosting, all you really need is two hot dishes, two cold, one impressive centrepiece, and a few easy sides.
Once you’ve combined these elements, you’ll find yourself with a stunning, restaurant-quality seafood feast that your Christmas guests will adore.