Category: Seafood

Homemade Dumplings 3 ways

Since we have been in social Isolation for a few weeks now and the kids are still on school break, I have had a chance to make some recipes I usually wouldn’t get the time to make in the rush of normality. I know we are all getting a little bored not being able to get out in our familiar environment and the feeling of being stuck at home can be quite mentally challenging. I for one and like many have been using this time to get in the kitchen and cook more. It’s what I enjoy, a bit of distraction from the outside world it always has been my safe haven in times of stress. Focusing your mind solely into creating something especially from scratch is quite self satisfying, a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, the best part is you get to devour delicious food at the end of it.

Homemade bread has been most popular with everyone over the past week, all these closet bakers coming out from the wood works showing their baking skills with creating sourdough starters and step by step daily updates of the process. It is quite humbling to see really, how our lives have taken a step back to simpler times, appreciating the labour of love that is cooking.

Homemade dumplings

Though bread is a wonderful staple recipe to conquer and you may have already ticked that one of the achievement list but have you ever tried making your own dumplings?

They are actually not that difficult at all to make, and quite versatile with the fillings to suit your tastes. I am sharing three different varieties with you a seafood version, meat version and a vegetarian/vegan version. Explaining step by step directions of how to assemble them.

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by Green Leaf Living

No Potato Healthy Baked Crab Cakes with Cheats Dill Aioli

 

IMG_4C240B6C9D0A-1I’m actually not much of a crab eater myself on the other hand my husband is the ultimate crab catcher, eater and seafood lover I could have ever imagined. Our close friends often comment about what opposite tastes and interests we have but you know what after nearly 20 years together opposites must really attract. (more…)

by Green Leaf Living

Fish for dinner? Baked Fish with Fennel, Leek & Tomatoes

The husband felt like fish for dinner the other night so true to form he can not just bring home some fillets of fish liked asked he had to bring home a tasting assortment of the entire seafood shop..

Anyone who knows him well would know how big of a seafood lover he is. Fishing/crabbing is in his blood, it is his passion, hobby, his way of unwinding. It is his ultimate, he thrives on it. Same goes for the love of seafood. If I asked him what is something he couldn’t live without or what would his last meal would consist of it would most definitely, 100% be Seafood. So when I agreed for him to buy some fresh fish fillets for dinner as he hasn’t been out to fish in a while, naturally he comes home with 1kg green prawns, 2 dozen fresh oysters, 4 squid hoods and the fillets of fish that he went in for. Just can’t seem to help himself like most men at Bunnings hareware store. For now it has turned into a mid-week seafood extravaganza!

To start off with I hadn’t prepared anything so I got him working. “Right you’re on the calamari for the kids start crumbing, then onto the garlic prawns for the wok. Make an avocado salsa and top the oysters with lemon and ponzu and let me get this fish in the oven.” I said in an assertive tone. We were in full gear. “kids fix the table and then get out of the kitchen!”

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imageFor the fish I love a simple pairing of sweet fennel and leek, the sourness of lemon, the hit of chilli and juiciness of blistered tomatoes to compliment the delicate flavour of the fish without over powering it. The aromas that emerged from the oven were ones of sweet sensations, adding the fish for the last 7-8 mins delivers the most perfectly cooked soft flesh that just break apart and melts in your mouth. Combining all the flavours of leek, fennel with the lemon, garlic and thyme marinade you have a simple, healthy meal that is fit for a king or to impress any posh seafood connoisseur.

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We could not indulge in such extravagance without going all out and popping a bottle of Moet champagne to top the night off.

So there we sat on a Thursday night sipping on Moet, eating our entrée’ of Oysters with avocado salsa with ponzu, wok fired garlic and chilli prawns. Main of Baked Flame Tail Snapper with Leek, Fennel & Tomatoes whilst the kids enjoyed their home cooked crumbed calamari and garlic prawns.

The pressure was on but with a little team effort we pulled it off!

Needless to say I turned to hubby and said I’ll be getting the fish from now on.

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Baked Fish with Leek, Fennel and Cherry Tomatoes

  • Servings: 4-6
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Ingredients

4 pieces boneless white fish fillets ( I used local flame tail snapper)

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

fresh thyme sprigs or parsley

1/2 red chilli sliced (optional)

1/2 leek top removed and sliced

1 fennel top removed and sliced

1 punnet cherry tomatoes

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 200’C
  2. Cut fish in half to make 8 smaller pieces
  3. In a medium size bowl combine, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest only, salt and pepper and thyme. Mix well
  4. Place the fish pieces in the marinade and coat the fish. Set a side
  5. In a lightly oiled baking dish place fennel and leek evenly over the base of the dish
  6. Drizzle with half the lemon juice toss through. Top with the cherry tomatoes, season with salt and pepper.
  7. Cook in the oven for 30 mins
  8. Add the fish pieces to the baking dish pouring over any remaining marinade and cook for a further 7-8 mins until fish is just firm and cooked through
  9. Remove from the oven pour over remaining lemon juice and serve with baked leek and fennel

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by Green Leaf Living

Spaghetti with Garlic Prawns, Tomato, White Wine & Chilli with a Toasted Sourdough Crumb

In our family we have been brought up in continuing this tradition. Which isn’t too hard for me as I don’t eat a lot of red meat these days anyway and my husband doesn’t need any more excuses to lash out and enjoy a seafood feast.Whether you celebrate this time of year of not and besides the religious attachment to it food is a great way of bringing people together, friends, family, partners, kids to share a special meal together.

by Green Leaf Living