6 seafood recipes for beginners

If you love the taste of everything the sea has to offer, but find cooking with it formidable, here are some easy-peasy recipes

Classic Smoked Salmon Flatbread
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Flatbread of choice
Butter (optional)
110 gm cream cheese
½ tsp sumac powder
100 gm smoked salmon slices, prepackaged
Chives, for garnish
Lemon wedges
Method
Toast your favourite flat bread and lather with butter (optional).
Spread a generous dollop of cream cheese and sprinkle the sumac powder on top.
Add slices of the smoked salmon on top of the cheese and garnish with chives.
Squeeze a dash of lemon juice from the lemon wedge to elevate the flavour profile of this simple yet delicious classic that can be had for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Enjoy!
Fish Curry with Coconut Cream
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients
2 white fish fillets of your choice, cubed
Salt and white pepper, to dust
Flour, to dust
Mustard seeds, to temper
2-3 cloves
Peppercorns, to temper
Curry leaves, to temper
Bay Leaves, to temper
Olive oil, vegetable oil or ghee
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 cup coconut cream
Method
Dust the fish cubes with a mix of salt, white pepper and flour.
In a saucepan, sauté fish until golden and set side.
Add mustard seeds, cloves, curry leaves, bay leaves and peppercorns to pan and roast before adding oil or ghee.
Add turmeric powder and garam masala powder.
Cook for 1-2 minutes to ensure the marriage of the bold flavours. Add the fish back to the pan and add coconut cream.
Cook for 3-5 minutes before serving with a side of fluffy basmati rice.
Crispy Sea Bass Fillet
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 4-5 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients
2 sea bass fillets, fresh-bought and cleaned or prepackaged
Flour, to dust
Salt and white pepper to taste
Olive oil, as needed
Butter, as needed
Method
In a bowl, add flour, salt and white pepper and dust the sea bass fillets with the mix.
In a pan, melt butter and olive oil before adding the sea bass.
Ensure the pan is hot before placing the sea bass fillet skin-side down. A sizzling sound is your cue. Cook for 2-3 minutes until skin is crispy and flip the fillet to cook for another minute; remove from pan.
TIP: Crispy sea bass fillets go well with a side of rice, grilled, roasted or sautéed vegetables, or mashed potatoes. As sea bass has a short cooking time, it is advised to prep sides before cooking the fillet.
Creamy Lobster Pasta
Prep time: 15-18 mins
Cook time: 30-35 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients
225 gm of your choice of pasta
450 gm lobster, preferable poached, or prepackaged lobster meat
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Homemade tomato sauce or store-bought pasta sauce
1 ½ cups cooking cream
Shredded parmesan cheese,
as desired
Method
Boil pasta as per packet instructions.
Poach your lobster or buy it readily poached. (Note: Generally, poaching a lobster with no shell on takes 4-5 minutes, but don't worry if your lobster is still undercooked, as it will be cooked again in the saucepan with the pasta).
To poach your lobster, add the fresh meat to a small-medium sized pot of water filled to 3/4th of the pot, and cover for 4-5 minutes until the lobster gains an opaque hue.
Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath with a large bowl filled with two cups of ice cubes and filled halfway with cold water.
When the lobster is cooked, drain off the hot liquid and transfer the lobster meat to the ice bath. Once cooled, it is ready to add to the pasta.
In a pan, sauté onion and garlic, and add the cherry tomatoes.
Add the poached lobster meat with the tomato sauce and add the cooking cream.
Cook for 1-2 minutes before finally adding the pasta.
Add shredded parmesan cheese to bring the sauce to a rich, flavourful finish. Serve.
Oven-Baked Panko Salmon with Zaatar
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10-12 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients
20 gm zaatar powder
50 gm panko bread crumbs
50 gm butter
200 gm fresh salmon fillet
Salt and pepper to taste
Your choice of rosemary, tarragon or oregano for flavour
Lemon juice, as desired
Drizzle of olive oil
Method
Start by mixing zaatar powder and panko crumbs with butter to make the crispy topping for the salmon.
Then, place the fillets on an oven tray, sprinkle salt, pepper, rosemary, tarragon or oregano, and lemon juice with a drizzle of olive oil on the fillet.
With the oven at 180°C, pop in the tray of salmon and let bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the salmon from the oven once cooked and add the crispy topping mix of zaatar, panko and butter to salmon. Bake again until the panko crumbs brown.
Serve with a side of rice or mashed potatoes.
Shrimp Avocado Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients
225 gm fresh, thoroughly cleaned shrimps, or prepackaged poached shrimps
1 cup of mixed greens or lettuce
1 sliced avocado
Thinly sliced oranges
Honey mustard dressing
1 packet quinoa
Method
If using fresh shrimps, poach them by adding them to a small-medium sized pot of water filled to 3/4th of the pot, and cover for 4-5 minutes until opaque and pink.
Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath with a large bowl filled with two cups of ice cubes and filled halfway with cold water.
When the shrimps are cooked, drain off the hot liquid and transfer the shrimps to the ice bath to cool, after which they can be added to the salad.
Wash the greens and boil quinoa as instructed on the package.
Add quinoa and mixed greens to a bowl, followed by sliced avocado and oranges.
Top with honey mustard dressing. Mix well and serve.