3 Cheap Seafood Recipes to Take the Stress Out of Your Easter Feast

Seafood is rarely something that’s associated with cheap cooking. If you want to save a dollar, you’re usually going to move away from fish recipes and towards cheap cuts of meat. Our pals at ALDI, however, have a way around that. After announcing the MSC and ASC Sustainable Seafood awards had recognised ALDI as Australia’s Best Sustainable Seafood Supermarket, the supermarket has shared a list of cheap fish recipes (mostly salmon) that don’t compromise on taste.

Using ALDI’s Ocean Royale Hoki Fillets ($15.99) and Ocean Rise Pink Salmon ($2.99), you can whip up three very affordable fish dishes that are perfect for weeknight cooking – or even Good Friday if you observe the event.

3 cheap fish recipes perfect for weeknight cooking

Spaghetti with spicy salmon and olives recipe

What you’ll need:

• 350g Remano spaghetti
• 3 tbsp Remano olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1½ x 130g tins Ocean Rise pink salmon
• 150g Deli Originals fresh Mediterranean olive mix
• 3 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp Oh So Natural pine nuts
• Juice of ½ to 1 lemon
• 1 fresh red chilli, chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water to packet directions (or until al dente).
2. Drain the salmon and set aside. Drain olives, remove the pits and roughly chop. Add the salmon to the olives. Stir to combine.
3. Toast pine nuts by dry frying over a medium heat, moving around continuously, until lightly toasted. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, place the olive oil into a large frying pan set over a medium heat. Slice the garlic and add to pan, cooking until softened.
5. Using tongs, carefully lift out pasta from pot, shaking off excess water. Transfer the cooked pasta to the salmon mixture, along with a splash of the pasta water.
6. Turn off the heat, add the parsley and toasted pine nuts and stir.
7. Add lemon juice and chilli (if using) to taste and serve immediately.

Hot tip: Try substituting the olives for chopped, roasted red capsicum (peppers) or artichokes.

Spicy fish bites

What you’ll need:

• 1kg Ocean Royale skinless hoki fish fillets, defrosted
• 30g El Tora taco seasoning
• 3 Lodge Farms free range eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups White Mill panko bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Pure Vita vegetable oil, for frying
• Salt and pepper, to season
• Handful of coriander leaves, to garnish
• Lime wedges, to serve

Directions:

1. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper then cut into large chunks. You should get approximately 25 pieces.
2. Set up your crumbing station. Place the taco seasoning into a shallow tray. Place the eggs into a bowl. Put the panko bread crumbs in another tray with the chopped parsley and a little salt, then stir to combine.
3. Dredge the fish pieces in the taco seasoning, shaking to remove any excess. Dip into the beaten egg then the bread crumbs and gently turn until well coated.
4. Place on a tray in a single layer and repeat with all of the fish pieces.
5. Set a pan of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat and cook the fish in batches, for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.
6. Place on a serving plate and season with salt and black pepper. Scatter over a handful of coriander leaves and lime wedges and serve.

Hot tip: For a spicier version, try adding some dried red chilli flakes to the panko crumbs. And for a super hot option, add some ground chilli powder to the taco seasoning.

Salmon croquettes recipe

What you’ll need:

• 1.2 kg potatoes
• 415g tin Ocean Rise premium red salmon, drained with bones and skin removed
• ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp for the crumb
• 1 bunch chives, finely chopped
• ½ cup Market Fare frozen peas
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Colway wholegrain mustard
• 3 Lodge Farms free range eggs
• 2 cups White Mill panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup White Mill plain flour
• Salt and pepper
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Pure Vita vegetable oil for frying
• Lime wedges, to serve

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 190ºC (170ºC fan forced). Peel, cut and cook potatoes, then drain and mash.
2. In a large bowl, combine prepared mashed potatoes, fish, lemon zest, parsley, chives, peas, spring onions, mustard, salt, pepper and 1 egg.
3. Mix just until combined. Roll heaped tablespoons of mixture into 20 balls. Have 3 bowls ready to coat croquettes in. Add egg to a bowl, flour to the next bowl and the crumb mixture in the last.
4. First coat with flour, next with whisked egg and last with crumb mixture. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
5. Cook croquettes in batches for around 3 minutes, turning frequently or until golden.
6. Place croquettes on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Salmon croquettes recipe courtesy of Jay, ALDI Test Kitchen