Seafood is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. Seafood recipes are easy to prepare, delicious and healthy. Most seafood recipes like prawns, fish and crabs are very nutritious and low in fat. Seafood is a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of ways. You can pan-fry, grill or deep fry them. Seafood can also be used as a great filling for your pasta dish or sandwich.

Seafood is an excellent source of protein and other nutrients. Fish, shellfish, and seafood are low in calories, fat, and saturated fat, high in omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, selenium and zinc. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults should eat at least 8 ounces of seafood per week. That’s two 4-ounce servings or one 6-ounce serving.

From Thai-inspired soups to classic shrimp and grits to a surprisingly easy paella recipe, we’ve got all the seafood inspiration you could need. So drop the tuna casserole and check out these fresh ideas instead.

Prawn, cabbage and noodle salad

Ingredients

• 180 gm soba noodles
• 16 cooked prawns, peeled, tails intact
• 180 gm Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, cut into julienne
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into julienne
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced, plus extra to serve
• Roasted sesame seeds, to serve

Sesame-miso dressing

• 2 tbsp shiro miso (see note)
• 2 tbsp grapeseed or other mild-flavoured oil
• 1½ tbsp brown rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 2 tbsp hulled tahini
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• Juice ½ lemon, or to taste

Method

• Cook noodles in a large saucepan of simmering salted water according to packet directions until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water to cool and separate noodles. Transfer to a large bowl, add prawns, cabbage, carrot, cucumber and spring onion, and toss to combine.
• For the sesame-miso dressing, whisk ingredients in a bowl and thin with 1-2 tbsp hot water for drizzling consistency. Drizzle dressing over salad to taste, toss to combine and serve scattered with roasted sesame seeds and extra spring onion.

Notes

Shiro (white) miso paste is available from Asian grocers.

Kingfish poke with pickled ginger ponzu

Ingredients

• 300 gm (1½ cups) brown rice
• 500 gm sashimi-grade kingfish, thinly sliced
• 1 telegraph cucumber, peeled, thinly sliced on a mandoline
• 100 gm daikon, cut into julienne
• 1 avocado, cut into 2cm dice
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup (loosely packed) mizuna (see note)
• Torn roasted nori and Japanese mayonnaise (see note), to serve

Pickled ginger ponzu

• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime, 1 lemon and ¼ ruby grapefruit
• 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• 70 gm (¼ cup) drained pickled ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp grapeseed or other neutral-flavoured oil
• 1½ tamari
• 1½ caster sugar

Method

• Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain well.

• Meanwhile, for pickled ginger ponzu dressing, whisk ingredients in a bowl to combine and season to taste.

• Divide warm rice among serving bowls and top with kingfish, cucumber, daikon, avocado and spring onion. Scatter with mizuna and nori, season to taste and serve with Japanese mayonnaise.

Notes

Mizuna is available from select Asian grocers and greengrocers. Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kenko or Kewpie) is available from Asian grocers and select supermarkets.

Clams with cider and chorizo

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 dried chorizo, finely chopped
• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1.2 kg clams, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes
• 300 ml cider
• ¼ cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• To serve: crusty bread

Method

• Heat oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic and sauté until soft and starting to colour (5-7 minutes). Add chorizo, stir occasionally until coloured (3-5 minutes), then add tomato and cook until slightly thickened (3-5 minutes). Add vinegar and stir to combine. Drain clams, rinse well, add to the casserole, add cider, cover and cook, shaking pan occasionally until all clams open (3-5 minutes). Stir through parsley, season to taste and serve hot with crusty bread.

Prawn curry

Ingredients

• 50 ml neutral-flavoured oil, such as vegetable oil
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp Malay-style curry powder (see note)
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 2 birdseye chillies, finely chopped (or to taste)
• 2 lemongrass stalks, halved and white part bruised
• 600 ml coconut milk
• 3 tsp fish sauce (or to taste)
• 600 gm green prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact
• Sliced spring onion, to serve
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion and stir occasionally until softened (5-6 minutes). Add curry powder and shrimp paste and stir until fragrant (20-30 seconds). Add chilli and lemongrass, stir until fragrant, then stir in coconut milk and fish sauce, season to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer until well-flavoured (5 minutes), then add prawns and simmer until just cooked (4-5 minutes).
• Scatter curry with spring onion and serve with rice.

Chermoula prawns

Ingredients

• Uncooked king prawns (80gm each), cleaned and butterflied
• To serve: lemon wedges

Chermoula

• 1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ preserved lemon, flesh and pith discarded, rind rinsed and finely chopped
• 1 cup (loosely packed) coriander, coarsely chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 180 ml mild-flavoured olive oil

Method

• For chermoula, pound cumin, garlic and preserved lemon to a smooth paste, then add coriander and pound to a paste. Stir in lemon juice and oil, season to taste and refrigerate until required.
• Barbecue prawns flesh-side up until just cooked through and the shell is charred (3-4 minutes), then turn and cook until just golden (1-1½ minutes). Top prawns with chermoula and serve with lemon wedges.