Most Australian families will have seafood at their Christmas tables this year. But how many of you find yourself unsure of what to purchase or cook when the festive season comes around?
We at Sydney Fish Market always recommend speaking to your fishmonger for advice when buying seafood. Not only can they tell you what is seasonal and fresh, but they also have fantastic insights into how best to prepare your chosen seafood species. Most often, these individuals have worked in the seafood industry for decades, honing their knowledge and seafood cooking experience over this time.
With this in mind, we reached out to some of the experts who work on-site at Sydney Fish Market, to ask them what they are going to be cooking for their families this Christmas. We hope this list will give you the inspiration you need to create a fantastic seafood spread this December.
Angelo (General Manager, Nicholas Seafood) 
Like many Aussies, I love a cold seafood platter with prawns and oysters during Christmas time. But my top tip is to add Scampi to your selection… Many people have never tried scampi before, but if you like prawns, you will definitely enjoy it! You can either eat it as sashimi, or grill it briefly on the BBQ or in a pan with some garlic butter.
Alex Stollznow (Tour Guide, Sydney Fish Market)
My favourite showstopping Christmas dish is a standing roast fish! There are plenty of recipes to follow online, but the key is choosing a whole fish on the meatier side, as these suit the high heat cooking method the best. You can adapt this dish to any cuisine too... For one influenced by European flavours, use garlic, lemon, herbs, butter, or white wine. For an Asian-inspired dish, use soy, ginger, chilli, and garlic.
Another of my favourite Christmas treats is creating a fried rice using prawns and Christmas ham, as well as any veggies you have kicking around... This dish is perfect for making the most out of any leftovers on Boxing Day!
Keindy (Store Manager, Peter's Sydney Fish Market)
Fresh cooked Tiger prawns with dipping sauce are a must-have on every Christmas lunch table, as well as an assortment of sliced sashimi. These are perfect options to cool down on our hot Aussie summer Christmas day.
Carmelo Lombardo (Store Manager, GetFish)
I've got two great recipes to share.
First up, a whole baked Salmon! Score your fish, and season it with some sea salt, a little cracked pepper, chopped garlic, ginger and shallots. Then wrap it in foil and pop it into a 180 degree oven. A fish that weighs 3.5kg-4kg needs around 35-45 mins to cook. Rest it for 5 minutes, before serving with a mild chilli jam sauce.
My other favourite recipe for Christmas entertaining is Mediterranean-style octopus. Get yourself a fresh Medium Southern Octopus (which we can clean for you at the shop). Boil a big pot of water and add 2-3 bay leaves into the pot, then cook your octopus in for 20-25 mins. Once the time is up, immediately drain your octopus and cool it down in a cold-water bath for at least 15-20 mins. While that's going on, combine some chopped garlic, thyme or rosemary, celery, and extra virgin olive oil. Steam and chop up some potatoes, chop your octopus, and serve it all tossed together in a big salad bowl with a generous squeeze of lemon. It is delicious!
Phon Thamyut (Store Manager, Christie's Seafood)
One of my favourite seafood recipes is honey garlic salmon, and it's a great one for Christmas! Get yourself some quality Atlantic Salmon fillets, and season them with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Then, stir together a sauce of honey, warm water, and lemon juice.
Now, here is the trick to achieving crispy skin and moist, well-cooked fish! First, pan fry the salmon skin-side down for 1 minute. Add some garlic into the pan to sautee at the same time. Once the salmon skin is crispy, transfer it all to an oven-safe dish, pour over your honey sauce, add some lemon wedges, and broil for a minute or two until your salmon is just cooked through.
Serve with parsley to complete your delicious Christmas meal!