You Have to Try Crispy Salmon Skin Tacos
Going for a seafood dinner or making a seafood feast for your family are special experiences. Sometimes, the classic boiled lobster just won't do. You want to expand your seafood culinary ambitions and try something new and exciting. Before your next seafood dinner, review the 20 best creative seafood dishes.
1. Sea Urchin Carbonara
This seafood twist on the classic Italian dish replaces cheese and cream with fresh sea urchin. It creates a velvety sauce with just the right amount of brine. The sea urchin's flavor pairs beautifully with egg yolks and pancetta, coating each strand of pasta in a rich umami taste.
2. Miso Black Cod with Yuzu Foam
This creative seafood dish boldly reinvents Nobu's famous black cod miso by introducing a light yuzu foam that works well with the texture of the cod and the brightness of the citrus. If you attempt to make this dish at home, don't forget to marinate the fish for 48 hours in a sweet miso glaze.
3. Lobster Cornbread Pudding
This reimagining of the classic Southern comfort food amps up its savory qualities. It combines poached lobster with sweet cornbread and a custard made with cream, thyme, and shallots.
4. Scallop Ceviche with Coconut and Kaffir Lime
This tropical fusion marinates thinly-sliced scallops in coconut milk, lime juice, and kaffir lime leaves. This flavor profile offers a delicate, tangy, and aromatic dish that tastes like the best of Southeast Asian cuisine.
5. Charred Octopus with Chorizo Crumbs and Romesco
This dish is comprised of tender octopus tentacles slow-braised in red wine and a touch of citrus, and then seared to perfection. The octopus is then plated on a bright romesco sauce made from almonds and red peppers. Bring all the flavors and textures together with a chorizo crumb topping.
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6. Crispy Salmon Skin Tacos with Wasabi Slaw
This seafood take on the traditional taco uses the salmon skin to create a crispy bite. The tacos are filled with wasabi-infused cabbage slaw, avocado, and seared salmon belly.
7. Crab and Mango Mille-Feuille
This stunning seafood dish alternates layers of lump crab meat, ripe mango slices, and avocado mousse. Finish with a lime vinaigrette and edible flowers. This isn't a dish that just any home cook can make. It's creative, delicate, and requires a level of artistry.
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8. Seaweed Risotto with Truffle Foam
This ocean-infused risotto replaces Parmesan with powdered nori and kombu broth. This delivers a bold, rich, and deep umami flavor. Top the dish with a truffle cream foam to bridge the flavor of the sea with that of the Earth.
9. Smoked Oyster Beignets
This is truly a creative and delightful seafood dish. To make it, you need to brine and lightly smoke oysters and then encase them in beignet batter. The textural contrast between the batter and the oysters is nothing short of remarkable.
10. Sake-Steamed Mussles with Ginger and Lemongrass
Steam these mussels in sake, ginger, lemongrass, and scallions instead of white wine to turn them into something special. The broth is aromatic and slightly sweet in a good way. Serve with grilled rice cakes to elevate its elegance.
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11. Squid-Ink Gnocchi with Crab and Chili Oil
Jet-black gnocchi is dramatic looking. Made with squid ink and mixed with a sauce of blue crab, chili oil, and garlic. The ink lends a subtle flavor that plays off the sweetness of the crab.
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12. Tempura Soft-Shelled Crab Burger
East meets West with a crab-forward version of a burger. Fry a soft-shell crab in tempura batter and serve on a soft brioche bun with some pickled slaw and a squirt of yuzu mayo.
13. Curry Leaf Shrimp with Coconut Polenta
This dish leans into South Indian flavors by pairing spiced sautéed shrimp with curry leaves and mustard seeds. This dish is finished by placing the shrimp on a creamy bed of coconut polenta.
14. Lobster Capuccino
Imagine a lobster bisque frothed to a capuccino-like texture, and then topped with a saffron-infused cream. Each sip feels like the most luxurious fine dining experience.
15. Mackerel Tataki with Charcoal Salt
This delectable seafood dish uses lightly seared slices of mackerel that are brushed with ponzu and seasoned with charcoal-infused sea salt. The presentation is minimal, but the flavor packs an umami punch. The mackerel's oiliness is balanced by the burnt-salt note.
16. Tandoori Halibut with Minted Yogurt
This dish takes thick halibut fillets and marinates them in a spiced yogurt mixture, and then grills them in high heat to form a smoky crust. It's best served with mint-cucumber raita. The blend of Indian spices creates a delicate, hearty meal.
17. Caviar-Topped Scallop Custard
A silky egg custard that tastes of the delicate flavor of scallops is steamed and then topped with Osetra caviar and a drizzle of chive oil. The result offers a balance of coconut flavors and a salty pop.
18. Sea Bass Crudo with Jalapeno Oil and Grapefruit
This dish is made with thinly sliced fresh sea bass with jalapeno oil, grapefruit segments, and Maldon salt. It provides a marriage of citrusy bitterness and a touch of heat that cuts through the buttery texture of the fish. This is a contemporary blend of ceviche and sashimi.
19. Bacon-Wrapped Monkfish Medallions
Known as the "poor man's lobster", monkfish that's wrapped in bacon, seared, and then roasted with a maple-mustard glaze is culinary perfection. Elevate it by serving it on a parsnip puree.
20. Tamarind-Glazed Swordfish with Pickled Pineapple
Tamarind has enough of a tangy and sweet flavor to complement the meatiness of the swordfish. Garnish with pickled pineapple to add acidity to cut through the rich flavors.
