1. In fancy seafood restaurants in many countries, from The Rocks at the Sydney Harbor
in Australia to the San Francisco Bay Area, among the most special dishes prepared
are those featuring a variety of fresh seafood cooked in the simplest of ways
showcasing the freshness of their catch
Paella, one of Spain’s signature dishes can be made solely with seafood and in fact,
there’s a name for it “paella de marisco” which can be more expensive that other
versions containing meat. Aside from fish which may even be excluded, other
components are squid (take out the inksacs found in the head otherwise it will color
the dish black), mussels, clams and shrimp. Fancier versions include langoustines
(succulent, white shellfishalso known as scampi) or even halved lobsters. Pasta and
pizza frutti di mare (fruits of the sea) are popular favorites in Italian restaurants and
feature the similar ingredients with the addition of anchovy fillets adding a distinct
salty flavor to the dish. Do not go overboard on the anchovy as a little goes a long
way.
Other impressive dishes include fantastic seafood platters composed of three, four or
a lot more varieties of fish and other ingredients. These can be cooked in the same
manner like a mixed tempura with battered prawns, crabstick and small fish served
with a sweet dip with grated raddish and ginger. A platter can also feature each
ingredient can also be prepared in different ways: marinated raw fish (ceviche),
deep fried squid rings (calamari), grilled scallops and baked mussels. That certainly
should be enough to satisfy anyone’s seafood cravings!
Simple dishes to try at home include salads, soups and if you’re ambitious, a seafood
lasagne with home-made noodles. Store bought pasta is a convenient option but
fresh pasta is much better though time-consuming to prepare.
When preparing any dish with seafood, try to buy the freshest ingredients especially if
you are serving it raw or cooking it very simply like on a grill. If you are going to
combine it with a lot of other ingredients like in a tomato-based soup, then by all

2. means but less expensive ingredients but make sure they’re fresh as well. This is not a
challenge and a big expense if you happen to live in a coastal area but if you live in
the heart of the city, then prepare to spend quite a bit.
When attempting to make a dish healthier or pescetarian-friendly, simply replace
meat ingredients (beef, pork and chicken) with the bounty of the sea. Do consider
first if the flavors will still go well together. Remember as well that deep-fat frying and
using a lot of butter and cream increases the fat and calorie content of any dish.
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