Your gift to the ocean this Christmas is to make sustainable seafood choices – but that doesn’t mean losing the luxe factor!
Luxury seafood and sustainability can go together – it’s a win-win that we celebrate in our festive recipes without dialling down the decadence.
After all, Christmas is a time of generosity and celebration. It’s the ideal time to be adventurous and expand your seafood repertoire beyond the usual staples. It’s also, notoriously, a period of excess and off-the-charts consumption. So, it makes sense to factor sustainable choices into the festivities to offset some of the indulgence.
For many countries, seafood is already at the cultural heart of their Christmas celebrations. Scandinavians and Balts are keen on pickled herrings and cured salmon (gravlax); boiled codfish and octopus provide popular Christmas Eve dishes in Portugal and Spain; smoked salmon is a canapé and brunch favourite in the UK (served with a glass of bubbly) and the Australians go wild for prawns, preferably grilled on the barbie, the bigger the better.
A smart choice
Others might be surprised to see seafood on the menu at Christmas. But it’s a smart choice, especially if you choose seafood that has been sourced sustainably.
Fish and seafood with the blue MSC label means that it’s caught wild at sea and comes from well-managed fisheries that maintain stocks at healthy levels. That’s good for the ocean and marine life – plenty of fish left in the sea ensures seafood can be part of Christmas for generations to come.
In this respect, you could think of buying sustainable seafood as a gift to the oceans, a way of giving back to the planet that sustains us. A fish supper here or there is only a small part of the festive jamboree but it’s an opportunity to celebrate the season in its true spirit rather than simply overindulging.
Ringing the changes
Wherever you are feasting this wintertime, seafood has the capacity to deliver that special-occasion moment. If you’re looking for a fresh option then seafood makes an elegant centrepiece: try swapping turkey for a whole salmon. Wild fish has a lower carbon footprint than a lot of meat and generally needs less prep and cooking. Any messy filleting can be done at the fish counter.If replacing the meat as headliner on the main day would upset too many guests then seafood can be introduced as a party canapé, restaurant-style small plates, an ocean offering on the buffet or a warming family dish on the days before or after Christmas. With so many ways to serve it, seafood brings versatility to the festive table.
Seared Scallops with cannellini beans and Tenderstem broccoli
Festive favourites: shellfish
Just as the ocean – when fished sustainably – offers an abundance of seafood, there’s ample choice for your festive menu.
In many parts of the world fresh shellfish is considered the ultimate gourmet experience ripe for special gatherings. Served on a bed of crushed ice, raw oysters on the half shell, bright red king crab legs and large juicy prawns offer a variety of textures and flavours and look both refined and enticing. Like pulling a cracker, getting hands-on with cracking open and plucking out the fleshy bits is immensely satisfying!
Alternatively, go for a single favourite such as lobster, scallops or mussels. Poached, steamed or pre-cooked lobster tails and claws yield a rich, sweet meat that is perfect doused in lemon and dipped in warm melted butter.
With hungry families to feed over several days, mussels are both nutritious and delicious. Ready-cooked packs with garlic butter and white wine sauce can be on the table in five minutes. You can enhance them with fresh parsley, tarragon or even saffron threads and serve with buttered baguette.
Scallops, at peak season in late autumn and winter, are another treat that doesn’t require complex or lengthy preparations. If your crowd is not too big, two or three pan seared scallops each is a lovely way to kick off Christmas lunch.
Prawns/shrimp
Prawns are popular around the world and add a sense of luxury without costing the earth. In Australia, they are especially prized at Christmas, when Aussies eat about 40% of their yearly prawn intake. Their sweet taste and firm texture make prawns ideal for many dishes from a retro prawn cocktail to a creamy coconut prawn curry. They are rich in flavor yet lighter than traditional red meat, making them ideal for those who find holiday meals a bit heavy going.“Seafood is incredibly versatile and naturally festive – it cooks quickly, pairs well with bright flavours, and feels special without needing much embellishment. It's also lighter than a lot of traditional holiday fare, which is a welcome balance during a season of rich eating.”
Chef and MSC Ambassador for Canada
Salmon
Salmon has a similar party-friendly profile to prawns – it makes good looking, supremely tasty dishes that leave room for an extra helping of Christmas pudding!
An oven cooked salmon fillet, garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds, citrus slices and spring onions, will make a lasting impression on guests when served as a festive highlight. Take it to the next level with baked salmon en croute (Wellington) – a salmon fillet encased in golden puff pastry “stuffed” with watercress, leeks and cream cheese.
Like prawns and shrimps, smoked salmon is a creative powerhouse when it comes to starters and light bites. It’s a handy go-to for entertaining over the festive period.
From smoked salmon blinis with dill and ricotta to an eye-catching smoked salmon salad wreath with clementines and avocado, this rich, silk-textured fish is a great ingredient for sparking the appetites of guests and adding a touch of luxury to brunches and teas.
Chef Charlotte Langley's salmon rillette
Cod for Christmas?
And so, to cod and other quality sustainable whitefish, which may lack the drama of lobster or the pretty coral hues of salmon but still deserve a place at the festive table.
For years whitefish has been an integral part of the Christmas Eve tradition in many Catholic countries including as a Basque-style codfish stew in Mexico and baked or fried in Italy and America as part of the tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Hearty loins of cod, hake or halibut can be oven roasted with garlic, rosemary and cherry tomatoes or add generous chunks to a creamy, smoky chowder – an uplifting reward after a bracing winter walk over the hills.
10 Top tips for a sustainable Christmas
Sustainable choices don’t have to mean giving up treats – our seafood suggestions above amply illustrate this – rather they mean celebrating smarter with a focus on caring for the ocean and quality over quantity. Here are a few simple practical ideas to factor into your festive planning to help minimise your environmental impact this Christmas.
- Choose seafood that’s been sourced well from regions you recognise. For example, Alaskan salmon, Atlantic prawns, or Pacific tuna.
- Add MSC-certified seafood to your festive menu – look out for the blue label when shopping.
- Plan your portions to reduce food waste.
- Store leftovers in reusable containers, refrigerate and use in the next couple of days.
- Include vegetarian or vegan dishes to reduce carbon footprint – made with local, seasonal veg where possible.
- Compost and recycle vegetable peels and other organic scraps rather than throw them away.
- Reuse bones, heads and tails to make a deep flavoured natural stock.
- Support local fishmongers or retailers committed to sustainable sourcing.
- Reuse decorations or decorate with natural items such as pinecones, holly and dried oranges.
- Avoid single-use plastics – use real plates, cutlery and glasses.
