Greek Seafood to Tempt Your Taste Buds

Greece has a lot of coastline and a strong history of seafaring, making fish a primary ingredient in many of their dishes. Incorporating Mediterranean flavours, fish plays an important role here and is used to make a variety of mouth-watering dishes. We take a look at some of the most popular Greek dishes to try when you visit the Greek Islands on your yacht charter vacation.

Cuttlefish, squid, anchovies, sardines, whiting, mussels and octopus have become the seafood of the average Greek citizen. Squid or Kalamari can either be cut and fried, grilled or fried whole while Cuttlefish are never fried, like squid, but cooked in a stew with a tomato sauce. Though you’ll see other fish such as red snapper, porgy, swordfish, red mullet and sea bass on restaurant menus, they are not cheap and their price depends on supply.

Fresh octopus is a popular dish in Greece. Usually grilled or BBQ'ed, it is served with a mezze, or as a main meal. To achieve that authentic Greek taste, they must first be tenderised and you will often see fishermen beating octopi on concrete piers on the Greek islands. Elsewhere, the locals go one step further and hang octopi from clothes lines outside tavernas to dry out in the Greek sun. This draws out the moisture from the octopus and is an important process when grilling.

Fried squid is a much-loved dish in Greece among locals and tourists alike. It can be served in a variety of ways; either plain, with salt and lemon on the side, or as calamari – coated in batter and fried for less than two minutes. Fried squid is often listed as an appetizer in restaurant menus and will be listed as either frozen or fresh.

Marithes is a plate of fried small fishes, called μαρίδες in Greek, pronounced mah-REE-thess, served with a piece of lemon and a glass of local ouzo. Savridia is a grilled dish of Mackerel that is high in oils and has a slightly smoky flavour. These fish make up a large portion of the Mediterranean Diet and taste very much like sardines. Alternatively, swordfish is prepared for grilling and is always sold as steaks. This fish is so firm and meaty that many non-fish eaters will happily give it a try.

Mussels have always been eaten in certain areas of Greece but today they are pretty much a mainstream dish and can be found in many tavernas across mainland Greece and the Greek Islands. They are typically served steamed or in saganaki (a small frying pan).

The ideal accompaniment to a seafood meal is a traditional Greek salad. Consisting of locally grown tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta cheese and olives, a Greek salad is normally seasoned with salt and oregano and is drizzled with olive oil. The flavour of this traditional salad is unlike any other and is the perfect partner to your seafood dish.