62 Christmas seafood recipes

When we talk Australian Christmas feasting, does it get any more ‘Strayan than a table heaving with seafood? Keep the ocean’s catch front and centre with oysters, scallops and prawn cocktails for starters, stunning fish and lobster dishes for the centrepiece mains, and plenty of options if you’re firing up the barbecue.

How to make salmon gravlax

How to make salmon gravlax

Grilled lobster with beurre blanc and chives

Grilled lobster with beurre blanc and chives

halved-lobsters-on-colourful-plates — Photo: Alicia Taylor

Lobster with lemon myrtle, tarragon and crab butter

Lobster with lemon myrtle, tarragon and crab butter

bowls-of-mixed-seafood-salad-and-bread-sticks — Photo: Alicia Taylor

Mixed grilled seafood salad with lemon mignonette

Mixed grilled seafood salad with lemon mignonette

A baked trout on a pink oval platter, garnished with roasted onions — Photo: Alicia Taylor

Coral trout with saffron and Sherry-roasted onions

Coral trout with saffron and Sherry-roasted onions

Image of halved Balmain bugs and a bunch of red grapes on a white platter — Photo: Alicia Taylor

Grilled Balmain bugs with charred grapes and ouzo

Grilled Balmain bugs with charred grapes and ouzo

Oysters with two sauces

Oysters with two sauces

Scampi with green mango and fried shallots

Scampi with green mango and fried shallots

Grilled scallops in the shell

Grilled scallops in the shell

Five scallops in a half-shell topped with herbs and a soy dressing, on an off-white plate, on a white marble background.

Louis Tikaram’s grilled Hervey Bay scallops with soy and ginger

Louis Tikaram’s grilled Hervey Bay scallops with soy and ginger

Freshly shucked oysters with tarragon dressing

Sean Moran’s freshly shucked oysters with tarragon dressing

Grilled scallops with spring onion and peanut

Grilled scallops with spring onion and peanut

Si Paradiso’s charred octopus with almonds and mandarin

Si Paradiso’s charred octopus with almonds and mandarin

Guy Grossi’s Gaeta-style octopus

Guy Grossi’s Gaeta-style octopus

Seafood platter with chervil butter and a trio of sauces

Seafood platter with chervil butter and a trio of sauces

Fleet’s seafood platter with Marie Rose sauce

Fleet’s seafood platter with Marie Rose sauce

Crab crostini by Leonardo’s Pizza Palace

Crab crostini by Leonardo’s Pizza Palace

Louis Tikaram’s Mooloolaba prawn ceviche with green chilli dressing

Louis Tikaram’s Mooloolaba prawn ceviche with green chilli dressing

Napier Quarter’s mussels dressed with spring-onion and verjuice vinaigrette

Napier Quarter’s mussels dressed with spring-onion and verjuice vinaigrette

In the foreground, a grey dish holding a pile of steamed mussels with chopped tomatoes and basil, on a dark blue tablecloth. In the background, a copper pot holding more of said mussels. — Photo: William Meppem

Bar Alto’s mussels with chilli, garlic and white wine

Bar Alto’s mussels with chilli, garlic and white wine

Phil Wood’s mussels with chilli and shiitake

Phil Wood’s mussels with chilli and shiitake

Lobster mousse

Lobster mousse

Saint Peter’s scallops with citrus dressing

Saint Peter’s scallops with citrus dressing

Scallop crudo by Leonardo’s Pizza Palace

Scallop crudo by Leonardo’s Pizza Palace

Snapper crudo with roe and cucumber

Snapper crudo with roe and cucumber

White fish crudo with avocado, herbs and cucumber-lime dressing

White fish crudo with avocado, herbs and cucumber-lime dressing

Rockmelon, lime and poppy-seed prawn cocktails

Rockmelon, lime and poppy-seed prawn cocktails

Prawn and pomelo salad with roasted chilli dressing

Prawn and pomelo salad with roasted chilli dressing

Prawn cocktail tower

Prawn cocktail tower

Prawn and avocado with lime

Prawn and avocado with lime

Prawn tostadas with corn relish and chipotle crème fraîche

Prawn tostadas with corn relish and chipotle crème fraîche

Prawn and avocado salad with spiced tomato dressing

Prawn and avocado salad with spiced tomato dressing

Jordan Toft’s dressed crab

Jordan Toft’s dressed crab

Lobster tagliolini

Lobster tagliolini

Salt and pepper prawns with lemon

Salt and pepper prawns with lemon

Charred prawns on skewers with lime

Charred prawns on skewers with lime

Mike McEnearney’s grilled prawn, watermelon and tomato salad

Mike McEnearney’s grilled prawn, watermelon and tomato salad

Barbecue prawns

Barbecue prawns

Barbecued scallops with seaweed butter and rye bread

Barbecued scallops with seaweed butter and rye bread

Barbecued prawns with honey, sesame and lemon

Barbecued prawns with honey, sesame and lemon

Easy Christmas prawns (Liberté’s garlic prawns with chilli and Thai basil)

Easy Christmas prawns (Liberté’s garlic prawns with chilli and Thai basil)

Whole snapper with orange and pistachio sauce

Tedesca Osteria’s Whole snapper with orange and pistachio sauce

Whole barbecued fish with chilli and peach salsa

Whole barbecued fish with chilli and peach salsa

Barbecued barramundi with macadamia romesco

Barbecued barramundi with macadamia romesco

Smoked ocean trout with beans, peas and mint

Smoked ocean trout with beans, peas and mint

Seared tuna with dill cucumbers and potato salad

Seared tuna with dill cucumbers and potato salad

Calamari and pounded sambal with cabbage salad

Calamari and pounded sambal with cabbage salad

Lobster Australienne by Mary’s Underground

Lobster Australienne by Mary’s Underground

Barbecued lobster tails with lemon drawn butter and corn-radish salad

Barbecued lobster tails with lemon drawn butter and corn-radish salad

Grilled lobster tails with roast chilli butter and corn salad

Grilled lobster tails with roast chilli butter and corn salad

A grey plate holding cooked crab pieces covered in a black pepper sauce and garnished with coriander. A red napkin is arranged on the side. — Photo: Rob Shaw

Tony Tan’s guide to making black pepper crab

Tony Tan’s guide to making black pepper crab

Whole barbecued snapper with green papaya salad

Whole barbecued snapper with green papaya salad

Baked golden trout with roe

Baked golden trout with roe

Fleet’s cured mackerel with tomatoes and sourdough bread

Fleet’s cured mackerel with tomatoes and sourdough bread

Amy Hamilton’s crab with fried-shallot butter and green peppercorns

Amy Hamilton’s crab with fried-shallot butter and green peppercorns

Dan Hong’s mud crab with XO sauce

Dan Hong’s mud crab with XO sauce

Lemongrass and lime-cured trout with rice paper crackers

Lemongrass and lime-cured trout with rice paper crackers

Beetroot-cured ocean trout with buttermilk and soft herbs

Beetroot-cured ocean trout with buttermilk and soft herbs

Danielle Alvarez’s slow-cooked ocean trout with peas, and Meyer lemon and fennel salsa

Danielle Alvarez’s slow-cooked ocean trout with peas, and Meyer lemon and fennel salsa

Phil Wood’s baked snapper with pistou

Phil Wood’s baked snapper with pistou

Marinated whole snapper baked on potatoes and peppers (Dorada al fondo con patatas) — Photo: William Meppem

Frank Camorra’s dorada al fondo con patatas (marinated whole snapper baked on potatoes and peppers)

Frank Camorra’s dorada al fondo con patatas (marinated whole snapper baked on potatoes and peppers)

Barbecued whole fish with lemongrass and lime leaves

Barbecued whole fish with lemongrass and lime leaves

Roast ocean trout with cucumber and preserved lemon salad

Roast ocean trout with cucumber and preserved lemon salad

salt-baked-spanner-crab-on-white-plate — Photo: Alicia Taylor

Chilli, gin and orange salt-baked spanner crab

Chilli, gin and orange salt-baked spanner crab

The Gourmet Traveller Team

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