Boxing Day – Seafood Bonanza

As has been posted elsewhere on the interweb and by fellow bloggers Boxing Day is typically a day when the leftovers from Christmas dinner get consumed.

Steve suggested, that we avoid the leftover trap, and make Boxing Day a seafood day. This idea was grasped wholeheartedly by all. So, on Christmas Eve Eve we headed down to Curullis Seafood Market to see what they had on offer.

With quite a large selection of fresh and cooked seafoods we were spoilt for choice. However, twenty or thirty minutes later we were away with our bags of treasure. Half a kilo of scallops, half a kilo of green prawns, six large salmon fillets and two trays of oysters.

We deposited the seafood into the car and made a commando raid on the nearby bottle shop . Where we picked up a few supplies to see us through the next few days. A couple of cartons of Millers Chill

for the girls. Some One Fifty Lashes

for the boys. A couple of bottles of Shiraz and some sparkling wine  for general consumption.

On Boxing Day the plan was to not have one big blow out but to just have a several snack like meals.

First up was the salmon, or rather I should say “Herb & Lemon Roasted Salmon on a Bed of Roasted Potatoes” This was lunch and our only formal meal of the day. Basically this dish comprises salmon fillets that have been infused with a lemon/herb marinade. Scalloped potatoes, that are pre roasted, to which the marinated salmon is added. The salmon is then roasted. The spinach and pine nuts are then sauteed. The cooked ingredients are then layered on plates, spinach first then the roast potatoes, and topped off with the salmon.

After a suitable period, to allow our food to digest, we retired to the pool as the air temperature was rising.

A couple of hours later and suitably refreshed, it was time for a light snack. Step forward the oysters, which were magically transformed into Oysters Kilpatrick

If the idea of raw oysters, or nude as I saw them described recently, do not appeal to you, then perhaps this is the recipe that may entice you to try. Very simple to prepare, the oysters are arranged on a bed of sea salt, cubed bacon and Worcester Sauce are added and the oysters grilled for five minutes or so until the bacon is crisped. Very tasty and the Worcester Sauce infused liquor certainly has a bite. These were accompanied by well chilled beers although, perhaps, we should have washed oysters down with a sparkling wine. I should point out that there are many different variations on this recipe and we ourselves were discussing the possible alternatives. Including chilli, horseradish, paprika, cheese, the options are endless.

As the afternoon ran into the evening our thoughts turned back to food and the prawns.And, no, they didn’t get thrown on the Barbie.

Another simple dish, Barbecued Prawns with Honey & Ginger Mayonnaise.

OK, I know it says barbecue but the prawns were sautéed. It seemed a waste to fire up the barbecue when the prawns were only going to take a couple of minutes to cook.

A marinade is made with olive oil, lime juice, lime leaves, lemon grass and fish sauce. This is added to the prawns and they are left to infuse.

The mayonnaise is created using fresh root ginger, coriander and honey all added to whole egg mayonnaise.

Once the prawns are marinated they are sauteed (barbecued) until cooked. Served in a bowl close to the mayonnaise. This dish was enjoyed so much, especially the mayo, of which there was quite a bit remaining after the prawns had disappeared, that I was dispatched to go and saute the scallops.

I can’t remember what we had planned for the scallops. I guess that recipe will have to wait for another day.

So, no prawns on the barbie, which will no doubt disappoint those of our UK friends and family who think that Ozzie cuisine comprises nothing more than tossing prawns and snaggers onto a red-hot barbecue.

I’d like to think that our Boxing Day seafood fest was the healthy option. I suspect, however, that the oils used to roast, saute and marinade have pretty much negated the healthier aspects of seafood.

Do I care ? Am I bothered ?

Nah !!

I do, however, hope you all enjoyed your Boxing Day.