Seafood Without Fear

Growing up, I was never a fan of fish. Many Friday nights were fish stick night, but those frozen sticks really consisted of very little fish and I always smothered them with Velveeta anyway.

Since moving abroad, and living near oceans, I have grown a strong desire to like seafood. After all, this is the place to find it fresh, cooked by people who are REALLY good at it.

So, T and I have attempted a few things, always searching for recipes that will make it simple and tasty. We do fresh fish fillets and shrimp. Last year, I even made a Spanish paella that called for giant shrimp and mussels. It turned out really nice!

I make a big effort to try new seafood varieties in nice restaurants. We eat lots of Tasmanian salmon and Barramundi, and I'm in the habit of ordering scallops now too.

But, fancy seafood in fancy restaurants costs fancy money. So, wanting those items, without the fancy prices, I decided I should learn how to cook them myself.

A friend and an online search led me to The Cooking Professor. It is a wonderful place near us that gives cooking classes of all sorts. And one of them is Seafood Without Fear. Perfect!

I organized it as a small Girls' Night Out. There were 4 of us on the night. And it was so much fun. Cooking classes are wonderful!

After arriving we went over the recipes (9 in all), and then off to the kitchen. We met so many other lovely people and the cooking went fast. Before long, it was time to eat our feast!

On the menu:

Spaghetti Vongole Puttanesca

Scallop Spoons with Cauliflower Puree and Sage Butter

Moules Mariniere with Crusty Bread

Homemade Foccacia

Whole Baked Snapper with Hot Chips and Tartare Sauce

Crayfish Mornay

Chargrilled Baby Squid with Chili, Lemon, and Parsley Bruschetta

Oysters Kilpatrick

Broccoli and Beans in Bagna Couda



It was so much food. We stuffed ourselves! Since the class, we've only made the scallops here at home, but I think we'll put the mussels and foccacia on the menu for the weekend.

Locals: check out http://www.thecookingprofessor.com.au/

There are tons of different classes. And so fun to do in a group!

Now, when I post a facebook status with generous offers for potential visitors, I can add a seafood feast to the list!