The world of seafood is vast and exciting, but it can also be a little intimidating. At Fine Food Specialist, we are always thinking about choosing products when they are at their very best, so all you need to do is enjoy them. Summer seafood is a treat - light, fresh and perfect for grilling on the BBQ or enjoying with a glass of crisp white wine. Let us take you through some of our favourite summer seafood, so you can make the most of your next meal in the sunshine.
Summer Shellfish
A platter of summer shellfish is very easy on the eye, simple to prepare and perfect for a garden party, buffet or BBQ. Cook the shellfish ahead of time and then chill and serve on ice, for a stunning centrepiece. A few salads and some cool drinks on the side and you have yourself a very impressive meal! Don’t forget the mayonnaise and lemon wedges…
Live langoustines are available in our shop during summertime - looking a little like a small lobster, they are prized for their plump tail meat. Cook them simply by butterflying them, grilling and cooking quickly on the barbecue or by boiling them for a few minutes before plunging into iced water to stop the cooking process. Langoustines also work very well with South East Asian flavours, so try serving them with chilli-laced dipping sauces fragrant with lime juice and ginger.
Prawns are just as good and we have a wide range of different species available, such as tiger prawns and jumbo tiger prawns that are perfect for the BBQ, wild Carabineros prawns that will wow your guests with their intense red colour and sweet flavour, Mediterranean red shrimp, Sicilian Gambero Rosso and many more!
We stock frozen scallops all year round and live scallops when they are in season. Our live scallops are collected by hand from the sea bed by specially trained divers and taste incredibly sweet. They will be so fresh they can be eaten as sashimi, or you can cook them in their shells on the BBQ with some garlic and herb butter.
Summer Crustaceans
Lobster and crab are perfect summer seafood treats. We love to barbecue lobster tails and serve them with garlic butter for dipping. Crabs are easier to cook indoors - boil them, allow to cool then pick the meat. A crab sandwich feels so luxurious with homemade mayonnaise and soft brown bread - close your eyes and you could be at the beach!
The Best Summer Fish for the BBQ
There are so many options for summer seafood, but it seems a shame not to cook at least some of them on the BBQ! Small fish like sardines are perfect when grilled quickly - their oily flesh will stand up to smoky flavours and their skin crisps up beautifully. We love to serve them with simple sauces like chimichurri or a zesty gremolata.
Larger fillets of fish like salmon or swordfish will work well too. Remember: when cooking fish on the BBQ it’s best to wait for the fish to naturally release itself from the grill before attempting to turn it over, otherwise it will stick. A very common mistake is trying to turn the fish before it is ready, which will leave the skin stuck to the grill. Meaty fish like monkfish also do very well on the BBQ thanks to their firm white flesh.
If you want to grill large fish on the BBQ then try a turbot. This fish can be placed in a fish cage and grilled slowly over low embers - a real treat. If you want a centrepiece, then red snapper could be the fish for you - this huge fish will feed 4 people and looks amazing cooked inside banana leaves - open it up at the table for a dramatic finish.
Sashimi
If it’s hot, sashimi is the obvious choice for a no-cook meal that requires very little effort. We have a range of sashimi-grade seafood to choose from, and some of them need little more than serving with wasabi and a little of our aged soy.
Sashimi-grade prawns make a perfect summer starter or try our sashimi-grade salmon or tuna for making nigiri. We also stock sashimi-grade hiramasa loin, scallops and much more - check out our full range of sashimi-grade fish.
Don’t forget the sides!
A few carefully selected side dishes will make the most of your seafood feast. Try mixing up your salad leaves for maximum impact, and laying platter with colourful tomatoes and edible flowers.
A potato salad is always welcome at a summer table - try our truffled potato salad with summer truffle and truffle dust.
The Best Summer Seafood Recipes from Drogo’s Kitchen
We have lots of seafood recipes perfect for your summer lunches, parties and BBQs. Why not serve your guests a platter of smoked salmon or caviar topped blinis to break the ice and keep them happy until you are ready to serve the main event? A cold drink and a few nibbles will always do the trick.
Our hiramasa loin sashimi recipes are as pretty as a picture, decorated with beautiful edible herbs and flowers. Try this hiramasa sashimi with lemon balm and red butterfly sorrel, or hiramasa loin sashimi with grapefruit dressing and apple blossom. We also love this spicy tuna and avocado ceviche, and this salmon sashimi with sesame and ginger dressing.
For the BBQ, try these grilled Brixham scallops with garlic herb butter, these grilled tiger prawns with seaweed butter, or how about cooking up some seafood on one of our yakiniku grills? We have plenty of ideas, such as these lobster tails and carabineros prawns.
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Take a look at Drogo’s Kitchen for even more recipes and cooking advice. If you try out any of our ingredients or recipes please do tag us on social media! We love to see what you create.
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