No-cook recipes | All Things Sicilian and more

Pesce Crudo alla Siciliana is one of the purest expressions of Sicilian seafood and it is: thinly sliced fish, lightly marinated in citrus, and finished with the fresh, aromatic flavours of the island.

In Sicily, raw fish is treated with great respect. A good dish of pesce crudo always begins with fish of extraordinary quality — impeccably fresh, carefully cleaned, and sliced as finely as a carpaccio. The preparation is simple, but the result is vibrant, elegant, and deeply connected to place.

I will definitely Make a Pesce Crudo over the upcoming Festive season.

What Is Pesce Crudo alla Siciliana?

Today, pesce crudo can be prepared with many types of fish and seafood. Delicate white fish fillets, sea urchins, calamari, octopus, prawns (especially red prawns), and scampi are all common. Sardines and anchovies, usually filleted rather than served whole, are also much loved.

What makes the dish unmistakably Sicilian is the choice of garnishes. These echo the island’s landscape and aromas: citrus juice and zest (especially blood orange), capers, olives, salted anchovies, fresh herbs such as mint, oregano, basil, or wild fennel, and often a touch of chilli. Almonds or pistachios add texture, while paper-thin slices of fruit or vegetables — strawberry, peach, vanilla persimmon, cucumber, fennel — Be inventive, bring colour and freshness to the plate.

Choosing the Right Fish in Melbourne

When preparing pesce crudo outside Sicily, freshness and sustainability are essential.

Below is some fish that is better than others when it comes to respect sustainability. Tips for Choosing Sustainable Seafood in Australia

Check the species and fishery region — sustainability can differ significantly by area and stock. GoodFish
Look for independent certification labels like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for wild seafood. Australia & New Zealand
Ask how the fish was caught — line and pole methods generally have lower bycatch and habitat impact than longlines or trawls.
Use the GoodFish guide/app for real-time traffic-light ratings of local species

If using tuna, choose yellowfin tuna, ideally line-caught.
some fish that is better than others – options for raw preparations in Australia include:

Snapper
Flathead tails
Barramundi
Farmed kingfish from South Australia
Salmon (sourced from New Zealand)

Always buy from a trusted fishmonger and explain that the fish will be eaten raw.

Thinly Sliced Fish Marinated in Lemon with Sicilian Flavours

Ingredients (serves 2–4)

250–300 g very fresh fish fillets, sliced paper-thin
Juice of 2 lemons
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
A handful of capers, rinsed
Green or black olives, chopped
Finely grated zest of blood orange or lemon
Fresh herbs: mint, oregano, basil, or wild fennel
Fresh chilli, finely sliced (optional)
Roughly chopped almonds or pistachios
Very thin slices of fruit or vegetables (fennel, cucumber, strawberry, or prickly pear)

Method

Prepare the fish

Arrange the fish slices in a single layer on a serving plate. Lightly season with salt.

Marinate with lemon

Pour over enough lemon juice to just cover the fish. Cover and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes — just long enough for the citrus to lightly “cook” the surface.

Drain and season

Remove and discard the marinade. Dress the fish with extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, and citrus zest.