Under the sea inside the kitchen

The seas and the oceans of the world is home to more species of animals and plants than land. In fact our planet is called the blue planet because it is covered mostly by water. So it is no wonder that the sea is also a source for so many great ingredients and can be an source for a lovely Italian meal.

I am a self confessed meatatarian- I do not usually eat vegetables and seafood. To me leaves and something that does not walk are boring. But again I was dead wrong. Seafood ingredients need to be treated the Italian way- always fresh coming into the kitchen. There is nothing better than tasting the pacific ocean on your tuna steak or the sweetness of the alaskan shores with your scallops. This is what makes fress ingredients great- you do not have to manipulate the flavor that much because it is already rich in its naturally fresh flavor.

Taking on seafood was a bit of a challenge for me and both an eye opener in the end. It allowed me to hone my skill on some cooking methods I don't usually use with meat like baking and pan searing. It also allowed me to practice my knife skills in filleting. I found out cooking seafood is not that hard and not boring at all. The one thing to remember is to make sure your sauce (if ever you are using a sauce) does not over power the taste of your fish, shrimp, scallop or whatever seafood because this defeats the whole purpose of preparing the dish. Seafood ingredients make for a fun dinner also because of the many flavors you can prepare it with. I have tried a very lemony and mild flavored dish, I also tried a tomato based dish and also a balsamic based sauce on a scallop dish. Another thing I realized while cooking these dishes was that my dislike for seafood was based soley on ignorance- i always thought seafood was all about fried fish and steamed crabs but it is more than that. It is way way more than that.

Cooking seafood is about brining out the bounty and the beauty of the sea. It is about showcasing the magic that it holds through the stunning flavors of your dish and the endless platting ideas you can come up with. Since I started cooking seafood dishes I have more respect for those who can do magic with a fish.