The Sydney Fish Market is an important organisation which has made Sydney the world-class food destination that it is today.
Reputed to be among the top three largest fish markets in the world, the Sydney Fish Market is a paradise for seafood lovers offering just about any kind of fresh fish, shellfish and crustaceans.
The Sydney Seafood School opened in 1989 when “Modern Australian” cuisine was just taking baby steps towards the more established French, Italian and Chinese cuisines.
The New South Wales fishing fleet brought in plenty of whiting, snapper and flathead for the local retail markets and in the process, they also netted octopus, red mullet, leatherjacket, crabs and other more “exotic” species that the average home cook was unfamiliar with.
Those who could appreciate these lesser known seafood enjoyed them at a fraction of the price compared to the more popular choices and the remainder of these catches were sadly sold as bait to enthusiastic anglers. Hence the initiative of the school was born ~ to teach people and food lovers how to cook some of the more unusual seafood and help create an appreciation and demand for the huge variety of seafood found in our oceans.
The recipes in this cookbook include soups such as boulllabaisse and prawn bisque, seafood salads, party food, quick & easy dinners, special occasion dishes as well as sauces and sides.
Sydney’s leading chefs have supported the School over the years by conducting seafood cooking classes to thousands of food lovers and home cooks. Neil Perry, Guillaume Brahimi, Matt Moran, Peter Gilmore, Mark Best and Kylie Kwong are just a small handful of chefs who are now sharing over 80 delicious seafood recipes in this cookbook
Mouthwatering dishes such as Tetsuya’s crudo of leatherjacket, Frank Camorra’s Galician-style octopus or David Thompson’s grilled barramundi curry would surely be a tantalising option for the BBQ this coming summer.
This cookbook also provide expert advice on choosing and storing seafood including step-by-step photos of techniques such as filleting and butterflying fish, shucking oysters, cleaning squid and octopus and preparing crabs, prawns and bugs.
Salad of Southern calamari, eggplant, tomato & mint – recipe by Jonathan Barthelmess
Ingredients for Salad of southern calamari, eggplant, tomato and mint
Mysaucepan and I both unanimously agreed to try out Jonathan Barthelmess’ recipe of salad of southern calamari, eggplant, tomato and mint.
Salad of southern calamari, eggplant, tomato and mint
The combination of sweet vine-ripened tomatoes, fine slivers of fresh mint leaves, soft eggplant and the heat from small green chillies is very clever. Add on thin slices of sashimi-grade southern calamari that has been marinated with some good extra virgin olive oil, I know I would be replicating this dish this summer.
Salad of southern calamari, eggplant, tomato and mint
This is a fantastic cold salad for the summer months.
For my next take on this dish, I would grill the calamari and eggplant on a hot BBQ to introduce some of those smoky aromas.
Paired with a chill glass of riesling, this dish would be an instant hit for our next home party.
Sydney Seafood School Cookbook (RRP $49.99)
The colour photos of recipes from some of Sydney’s most talented chefs are firing up my craving to cook some fresh and delicious seafood on the BBQ this Christmas.
Sydney Seafood School Cookbook (RRP $49.99)
So dear readers, do you like seafood and if so, what is your favourite seafood recipe?
ChopinandMysaucepan received a complimentary copy of Sydney Seafood School Cookbook courtesy of the Sydney Seafood School and Penguin Books. All opinions on this blogpost are our own.
Sydney Fish Market
Locked Bag 247
Bank street, Pyrmont 2009
New South Wales
Tel: +61 2 9004 1100
Go to www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au for find out more about trading hours, auction times and other events.
Sydney Seafood School
Manager: Roberta Miur
Tel: +61 2 9004 1111
A lovely looking summery salad! Although I don’t eat shellfish, I absolutely love fresh fish – there’s really nothing like it! I used to visit the Sydney Fish Markets many a time with my parents when I was growing up but since she turned vegan I haven’t gone much lately. You reminded me of how amazing it is, I really need to go back, soon!!
The book sounds as fascinating as all the seafood you write about (and photograph) here. The salad including one of my favourite sea animals looks gorgeous. Can you imagine that this year I had the first occasion in my life to taste fresh squid (not frozen and thawed)? Lucky you to have such a variety of delicious fresh seafood.
I love oysters, squids, octopus, scallops… I could carry on for hours. My favourite recipes are almost always Japanese (apart from oysters which I prefer raw and mussels marinières).
I did a really fun crab class there. The only problem was that when it came to making the dish at home, I couldn’t get crabs as good as their and didn’t know what to look for. Good to know that the cookbook goes through selection and storage too!
I love seafood, sure wish I could get my hands on some of your fresh caught seafood.
I lurve lurve lurve seafood! As much as I love things that are so jammed packed with flavor though, my favorite would have to be the steamed fish with ginger, shallot and some soy. So simple and so comforting.
I’ve been meaning to do a cooking class at Sydney Seafood School but none just seem to fit my schedule. It’s great that there’s a cook book out. Perhaps I need to grab a copy for myself!
Looks like you perfectly cooked that squid! Love that salad
Dont know much about the book but I certainly enjoyed the fresh salmon sashimi when I was at the fish market a few year ago. My favourite seafood is crabmeat angel hair pasta. Teoh was here today to indulge in a homecook plate of the pasta with a mixed of spanner crab and Mandurah blue manna crab, washed down with a 2007 unwooded Chardonay from Salitage of Pemberton.
Well, it’s easy for me to say which seafood that I do not like…which is oyster (and sometimes Uni, if not top quality). But I love all kinds of seafood! Growing up with more fish and seafood ingredients, it’s always nice to have varieties of recipes. The book sounds interesting to me!
Seafood? Yes, I love them all, unfortunately my husband do not care for most of them…the calamari is cooked perfectly…
Have a great week
Seafood in Sydney always tastes soooo much better. So envious of your fish market!
I want that book too! haha
i love this cookbook cos theres so much tips on how to cook and prep the seafood!
I have toyed with buying this book but resisted so far. I might need ot grab it, this recipe look great