Prepare, cook and enjoy: Mastering the art of seafood

It’s hard to beat the flavour and versatility of fresh seafood. Poached, grilled, cured and raw – there are just so many delicious ways you can prepare the abundance of food from the sea! 

Seafood at times is a little tricky to master, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a few tips from Sydney-based Greek chef David Tsirekas, who’s spent years perfecting the art of cooking with seafood. 

Seeking out a good fishmonger is important 

The secret to a tasty seafood dish is the quality of the fish, and Tsirekas advises seeking out a good fishmonger and most importantly always buy fresh fish and try to eat it on the same day.

Unless you caught the fish yourself, it’s hard to know how fresh it is, but if you know what to look out for, it’s easy.

Look, smell and, where possible touch, Tsirekas says. Before you purchase the fish, check the eyes — they should be bright and clear, not dull or cloudy. A fresh fish should smell like clean water and it certainly shouldn’t have a strong, fishy odour, he adds.

If the fishmonger allows it, give the fish a little poke — it should be resilient enough so your indention disappears. “A fish should also have a natural fresh slime,” Tsirekas adds. And if you don’t have the confidence to fillet whole fish, ask your fishmonger to do it for you.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Be6Tf3OFZJW/?taken-by=dtsirekas

Read more: From street food to fine dining, the evolution of Greek-Australian food

Storing your catch 

If you don’t plan to eat the fish within a couple of days of purchase, freeze it. “Wrap [the fish] in cheesecloth and then in freezer film,” Tsirekas advises.

The best method to storing fish in the refrigerator requires a cooling rack that fits inside a container. “Arrange ice on the bottom of a container and then a drip tray on top and rest fish on that,” he says.

So what’s the secret to seafood success?

When it comes to cooking fish, Tsirekas says there are so many great techniques out there, but his favourite is grilling a whole fish on the barbecue, topped with lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt flakes.

He says fillets like whiting or flathead are delicious battered, a thick cut like blue eye make for a tasty curry and he recommends giving delicate fish like swordfish or tuna a light sear.

Cooking to impress? Here’s a delicious salmon recipe from 1821 — a Greek eatery based in Sydney, Australia.

Ouzo cured salmon

Ingredients

• 500g salmon skinless fillets
• 1 tsp fenugreek (can buy a local chemist)
• 60ml ouzo
• 2 tsp sea salt

Method

1. Place salmon in vacuum bag.
2. Dilute fenugreek and salt in ouzo.
3. Pour in ouzo, then seal bag.
4. Set aside to chill. Best served within three days.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlHZpK0Asj3/?taken-by=dtsirekas

Are you a fan of fish? Do you have any tricks or tips?