Simple Easter recipes for a seafood spread

But as the weather starts to turn, simple, fresh seafood loses some of its appeal and a desire for warming, hearty dishes begins to set in.

This can make menu planning for an Easter seafood spread challenging.

But ACM has you covered. Celebrate Easter this year with cool-weather friendly seafood from some of Australia's favourite chefs.

Pipi's Dining Room head chef and owner Jordan Clay told ACM that autumn is a great time of the year to cook seafood.

There's a four to six week window where a wide variety of fish and shellfish are available, as well as late summer vegetable crops and new sprouts from autumn, he said.

"My perfect Easter Weekend is an opportunity to catch my breath after a hectic summer at the restaurant," Mr Clay said.

"It is all a very low key affair, with some nice bottles and some close friends," he said.

This recipe for whole fish with Tunisian Gremolata and fresh green salad straddles the seasons, with warming spices and clean, bright flavours.

Finely chop shallots, ginger and garlic. Then sweat in a pan until almost finished cooking.

Fold fenugreek leaves and smoked paprika through the mixture and remove from the heat.

Add toasted pine nuts, toasted coriander seeds, cracked black pepper and stir.

Add lemon juice and fish sauce to taste.

Roast whole fish or fillets (cooking time varies based on the size of the fish).

Arrange fish on a serving plate.

Pour over Tunisian Gremolata and garnish with chopped parsley and a cheek of lemon.

A well-dressed, leafy green salad never goes astray.

"This lemon dressing matches perfectly with any salad accompaniment for fish," My Clay said.

Pipi's Dining Room use rocket from Yarra Valley's Ramarro farm and finish the salad with a grating of parmesan cheese.

Whisk together all ingredients, excluding olive oil.

Then slowly add olive oil while whisking, until salad dressing is combined.

Pour over salad greens and mix thoroughly.

Serve with shaved or grated parmesan cheese beside whole fish with Tunisian gremolata.

If a cosy bowl of pasta is your Good Friday meal of choice, try this clam bucatini - but watch your eyebrows.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Mudgee's The Zin House buy what they can't make in-house from regional producers, but grow their own vegetables and raise animals for meat.

The Zin House's head chef Kim Currie was involved with Australia's early foray into aquaculture, particularly Silver Perch and Murray Cod, and hasn't lost her passion for cooking with these fish.

"I consider Murray Cod the best fish available in Australia and Easter is a great opportunity to celebrate this," she told ACM.

At The Zin House, they partner the filleted fish with potatoes grown in their garden, tapenade from last year's olive harvest and fresh rocket leaves.

"Rocket is flourishing in our autumn garden and rounds this dish out perfectly with peppery flavours and fresh crunch," she said.

Ms Currie said, as with any celebration, the importance should be placed on time at the table and not slaving in the kitchen.

"This dish can all be prepared in advance, with the exception of simply cooking the fish," she said.

"Or cook the fish on the BBQ and get everyone out of the kitchen."

Serves 2

Make the tapenade and aioli ahead of time and store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Prepare the potato and fennel salad, then cook the fish and dress the salad at the last minute.

Place half the olives, the onion, garlic, and rosemary in a food process and blitz together until finely chopped.

Add the rest of the olives, parsley, anchovy, capers and oil and pulse until combined, keeping a chunky texture and consistency.

This quantity makes more than you need for this recipe, so store the balance of the tapenade in a jar and keep in the fridge.

Put egg yolks, lemon, mustard and garlic into a food processor and process until well combined.

With the processor on, gradually add the olive oil in a thin stream till the mix comes together.

Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a cast iron skillet or other heavy based frying pan over a medium high heat on the stove.

Add oil to pan and when hot, arrange potato disks and garlic halves face down in the oil. Fry until golden

Carefully turn potatoes over. When golden on this side, pour over stock, scatter over bay leaves, season and cover with a lid.

Turn heat down to medium and cook until liquid has evaporated and potatoes are done.

Keep warm while the fish is cooking.

Toss fennel and prepared salad greens together with olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning when you are ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and season each fillet on both sides with salt and pepper.

Place a large non-stick frypan on a high heat and allow to get searing hot.

The pan needs to be big enough that the fish isn't overcrowded and has plenty of room of its own to cook.

Add oil to the pan and place fish in skin side down.

Allow each piece to cook for 7 minutes, flip each fillet over to the flesh side and put the pan into the oven for a further 3 minutes to finish cooking.

Remove the pan from the oven, check that the fish is done to your liking and allow to rest for a minute while you plate up.

Keep in mind that the fish will continue to cook as you are getting potatoes and sauces together and dressing the salad.

To serve, arrange a few disks of potato on the plate and top with a dollop each of aioli and tapenade.

Serve the fish on top and the fennel and herb salad on the side.