Curtis Stone's Guide to Seafood

Curtis Stone's standout seafood recipes

There's something special about sharing a beautiful seafood dish in early autumn.

Pan-frying: One of the easiest ways to cook seafood, pan-frying delivers beautiful contrast in texture – think golden, crisp skin with moist, flaky flesh inside.” Best for Barramundi, salmon, snapper, prawns and mussels.

Barbecuing: Cooking on the barbecue infuses seafood with smokiness and gives it a nice char. It’s the perfect way of cooking for casual entertaining. Best for Prawns, lobster and whole fish such as snapper.

En Papillote: This French method means cooking seafood in baking paper or foil (pictured left). It steams gently in its own juices – along with any added aromatics – resulting in tender, flavourful fish with little effort.
Best for Barramundi and salmon.

Roasting: A gentle method with even results, this adds depth of flavour when using aromatics such as garlic, herbs and citrus.
Best for Barramundi, salmon and lobster.

Looking for more fish recipes for dinner?

Explore our irresistible range of fish dinner recipes.

Light texture, delicate flavour

Snapper - Clean, mild and slightly sweet, with firm flesh that holds its shape.
Oysters - Fresh & briny with a creamy finish that ranges from mineral to sweet.
Cod - Lean and flaky with a subtle flavour, ideal for carrying bolder seasonings and sauces.

Medium-firm texture, mild flavour

Barramundi - Moist and buttery with a gentle sweetness, this is richer than snapper, yet still light and verstatile.
Hoki (Blue Grenadier) - Hoki, also known as blue grenadier, is a soft, flaky white fish with a delicate, clean taste.

Rich texture, full flavour

Salmon - Rich, oily and deeply flavourful, with a soft texture.
Lobster - Sweet, silky and luxurious, with firm flesh that stays succulent.
Mussels - Plump and juicy with a briny, ocean flavour.
Prawns - Naturally sweet with a firm, springy bite..

Test the flesh

Insert a fork or small knife into the thickest part of the fish and twist gently. It should flake easily into moist layers.

Check the colour

Raw fish looks translucent. When cooked it turns opaque with a firm, matte finish evenly throughout the fish.

Don't overcook

Fish continues to cook after it’s removed from the heat. Take it off just as it reaches doneness for the best texture.

Clean and sort properly

"Before cooking, rinse mussels under cold water. They should be tightly closed, otherwise they should close when tapped. Discard any that stay open or have cracked shells.”

Cook quickly

“Mussels take just 3-5 minutes to cook over high heat. Avoid overcooking, which can make them tough and chewy rather than soft with a delicate bite.”

Use steam to build flavour

“Mussels release their own cooking liquid as they heat. Enhance their natural, salty broth with aromatics such as garlic, herbs or wine, then mop it up with crusty bread.”