At ÎÛµ¼º½¸£ÀûÍøÖ·, the New Year means 365 new chances to eat Australian seafood (okay, maybe not that many, but we say aim high!).
If you’re keen to increase your seafood consumption this year, we've got five fantastic resolution ideas for you. Add these to your list to support local industry, improve your health, and get more delicious meals on the table in 2024.
1. BUY AUSTRALIAN
The sustainability of the food we eat has been a concern for everyone in recent years. The good news for us when it comes to seafood is that Australian fisheries have been given the sustainable tick of approval for many years running now.
This means that by buying Australian product, you can rest easy knowing that it has been caught in carefully managed fisheries, backed by scientifically-approved capture methods that keep stocks strong.
So skip the imported stuff where you can, and make the extra effort to buy local this year.
2. TRY SOMETHING NEW
We've said it a million times, but if you want to get more affordable seafood on your table this year, lesser-known species are the way to go! Expand your seafood horizons by trying something seasonal that you've never eaten before - it'll almost always be cheaper than the old favourites.
3. EXPERIMENT WITH COOKING METHODS
We're all guilty of cooking the same old seafood species using the same old cooking methods... And while there's nothing wrong with a pan-fried fish fillet, there is a wide world of seafood cooking methods out there to try.
Have a go at steaming or baking a whole fish, barbecuing scallops in the shell, or braising octopus. While it might take a bit of extra effort the first time, you'll soon have a huge range of new recipes in your repertoire! Check out Sydney Seafood School for some inspiration.
4. MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR FISHMONGER
Fishmongers are a treasure trove of knowledge on what is fresh and in-season. Make friends with yours this year to ensure you're always buying the best.
They can use their expert skills to prepare your seafood for you, including cleaning squid, pin-boning fillets, gilling and gutting whole fish, peeling prawns, slicing sashimi, and halving lobster or bugs.
You can also ask them to recommend a seasonal species you haven’t tried before; they’ll even tell you how to cook it!
5. GET BACK TO SCHOOL
If you're keen to get more seafood on your plate, there's no better place to start than with a Sydney Seafood School class. No matter the theme, you'll leave the School with a tonne of new skills and a lot more confidence preparing different species.
Explore the class schedule here, and make 2024 the year of simple, delicious seafood dishes!