surprise!

I recently provided my family with an opportunity to extend their palate. Sometimes opportunities arise unintentionally (smoky, burnt flavours or exepected textures), but this one was planned.

Which actually means that I made a purchase in the freezer section of my favourite supermarket, Coles. Yes, you can see from the photo above that I 'cooked' chilli mussels.

Salmon on slow-roasted leeks, witlof and asparagus. www.homelife.com.au

I don't cook a lot of seafood for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it is very expensive. Unlike fruit and vegetables, it is not easy to farm your own fish or mussels, so there isn't an alternative to buying it.

 Secondly, I am not very good at cooking seafood (probably because I haven't had much practice because of the first reason!).

Seafood imported from Asia will often be on sale, but I choose not to purchase seafood that is not from Australia or New Zealand. Fish and other seafood from Asian nations is not something that I am comfortable with. I'd rather eat a lead pencil.

Sustainable Fish (photo from Perth Now)

So, when Australian blue mussels in tomato and chilli sauce were on sale at Coles (half price!) I took the opportunity to buy enough to provide my family with a culinary experience.

I thought it went quite well.

Even when I discovered this in one of my mussels.

This poor little crab was the size of my smallest finger nail. Eli was particularly taken with it. 'He' was washed, dried and taken for news at school the next day!

Have you ever had any surprises in your food?