Fish and Fishery

Lobster Mac and Cheese with Fresh Chives, Pimente d’Espelette

/ Ren

North Atlantic lobster meat, organic, whole wheat macaroni, aged Vermont white and cloth-bound cheddar, fresh cream, chives and pimente d’Espelette..

Lobster Mac and Cheese

1/2 pound organic, whole wheat macaroni
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shell stock
blond roux as needed
1-1/2 tablespoons good sherry (not cooking sherry!)
1/2 pound aged white cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1-1/2 tablespoons pimente d’Espelette
3 tablespoons fresh chives or slivered green onion tops
3/4 pound lobster meat, poached
1/2 cup organic panko
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Prepare macaroni according to package instructions, but reduce cooking time by 2 minutes.  Drain pasta (don’t rinse) and set aside.

Lightly poach lobster meat until a little underdone in simmering water with a little fresh lemon juice,a tablespoon of butter and some fresh parsley.  Remove from heat, drain and transfer the lobster meat to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.  Set aside.

Add cream, stock, sherry and nutmeg together in a heavy saucepan. Heat just until tiny bubbles come to the surface, but do not let it boil.  Whisk in just enough roux so that the sauce coats and clings to the back of a wood spoon.  Remove from heat.

Fold in cheeses, chives, pasta, pimente d’Espelette and lobster. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Turn mixture out into a small skillet or individual gratin dishes. Sprinkle lightly with panko and place into a 375 degree oven until bubbly and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

Sprinkle lightly with additional chives/green onions and chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Shrimp are a safety disaster waiting to happen

/ Ren

via AlterNet

Shrimp are a safety disaster waiting to happen

Most people do not realize the majority of shrimp sold in the U.S. are neither domestic nor wild-caught. They are imported from countries like Thailand, India and Indonesia where they are “farmed” in crowded, filthy pools with antibiotics, disinfectants and parasiticides that are banned in the United States. The shrimp themselves have their eyes removed before being raised in pools so dense and dirty that many die.

The FDA is responsible for ensuring the safety of such imported shrimp for human consumption, yet over 96 percent of shipments are not opened or even checked when they arrive on the dock in the United States. Instead, exporters’ identities are stored in the FDA Automated Commercial System (ACS) system and only if a country or company has had prior problems will it receive receive inspections. Even then, the so-called inspection may only be a look at documents or a visual inspection, not lab tests for dangerous substances. FDA inspectors admit that blocked exporters can “transship” their products from another country to fool inspectors. Is anyone surprised that banned drugs and mislabeled products including pet shrimp find their way to U.S. dinner tables?

Like so many food products that are bad for consumers, intensively farmed shrimp also harm the environment, workers and animals. A recent, award-winning Associated Press series exposes slave labor used in the commercial seafood industry in Indonesia and Thailand—and the actual incarceration of captive workers in Myanmar in cages. U.S. officials and human rights activists call on Americans to “stop buying fish and shrimp tied to supply chains in Thailand.” Intensive shrimp farming also harms sensitive mangrove areas.

Tamatem Ma’Amrine

/ Ren

Tamatem Ma’Amrine is a Moroccan dish of roasted tomatoes stuffed with albacore, capers, olives and preserved lemon..

103_2296

Tamatem Ma’Amrine (click to enlarge)

Adapted from a recipe by Claudia Roden

Carve a lid out of the tomatoes and scoop out the insides as you would a jack-o’-lantern.  Don’t let the walls get too thin, or the tomatoes will split while roasting. Turn the tomatoes upside down and let the water drain.

Meanwhile, flake apart US Pacific troll or line-caught albacore and toss gently in extra virgin olive oil with bits of roasted red pepper, coarsely chopped capers and black olives, thinly slivered preserved lemon and chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Season tuna mixture with cracked coriander, fennel and white sesame seeds and stuff into the tomatoes.

Drizzle with a little more olive oil and season with sea salt and cracked pepper.  Roast in a 375 degree oven until slightly blackened, perhaps 30 minutes.

Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold; a crisp salad goes well in either case.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

© Monterey Bay Aquarium

© Monterey Bay Aquarium

Seafood Watch: Tuna, Albacore

Asian slave labour producing shrimp for US supermarkets

/ Ren

A six-month Guardian multimedia investigation has, for the first time, tracked how some of the world’s big-supermakets are using suppliers relying on slave labour to put cheap shrimp on their shelves.

The investigation has established that large numbers of men bought and sold like animals and held against their will on fishing boats off Thailand are integral to the production of prawns (commonly called shrimp in the US) sold in leading supermarkets around the world, including the top four global retailers: Walmart, Carrefour, Costco and Tesco.

Slavery is back and here’s the proof..


 
Learn more

Wrong Mine, Wrong Place

/ Ren

Tens of millions of salmon are beginning to return to the streams, rivers and headwaters of the Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve in Alaska. They are in the final stage of completing a life cycle that began years earlier in the very same location and as long as the spawning grounds are intact and protected, these runs will continue to thrive forever.

 
But this vast, pristine habitat—home to one of the most important salmon fisheries in the world— is facing a catastrophic threat. Given massive discoveries of gold and copper deep below the surface of Bristol Bay’s headwaters, a foreign mining conglomerate called the Pebble Partnership plans to build North America’s largest open pit mine. Should toxic mining waste from the Pebble Mine find its way into the watershed, the effects would prove catastrophic to salmon and the entire ecosystem.

Learn more..

Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon

/ Ren

originally published Oct. 11, 2009

Roasted sweet corn with poblano peppers, onions, seared scallops and smoked bacon..

Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon

Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon

(informed by a recipe by Rick Bayless)

3 cups fresh corn kernels, divided
1/2 small white onion
1/2 large poblano chile
1 red Fresno chile
1 clove garlic
1 cup fresh whole milk
1 cup fresh cream
6 oz dry sea scallops
4 oz smoked bacon, diced
1 teaspoon cultured butter
1/4 teaspoon smoked chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Roast the poblano, Fresno, onion, garlic and 1/2 of the corn in a 450 degree oven until the peppers are blackened.  Place the peppers in a paper bag or under an inverted bowl to steam a bit- the skins will peel right off.

Pulse the uncooked corn in a blender with the milk, cream and smoked chili powder, then transfer to a heavy pot set over medium-low heat.  Stirring frequently, allow to simmer until reduced by 1/4.

Chop the roasted peppers, onion and garlic and add to the pan.  Stir to combine.

Meanwhile, sauté diced bacon over medium-high heat until well browned.  Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat and add 1 teaspoon butter, paprika and cilantro.  Add the scallops and sear until golden brown on both sides.  Transfer to the soup, stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper if necessary and serve steaming hot.

Screenshot

Say thank you to Senator Begich!

/ Ren

Just Label It

Senator Begich’s amendment to label genetically engineered fish has passed in the Senate.




Tell Senator Begich: Thank you!

Congratulations – your efforts paid off!

On Friday, an amendment offered by Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) to require labeling of genetically engineered fish was passed by a voice vote in the Senate.

In his speech, Seantor Begich noted that over 60 countries currently require labeling of GE foods, including Russia, China and the European Union. Additionally, he pointed out that over 2,000 grocery stores across the U.S., including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, have committed to not sell genetically engineered seafood.

While the Senate’s budget plan is non-binding, the passage of the Begich amendment will further increase the pressure on the FDA to label genetically engineered foods.

We encourage you to send a thank you letter to Senator Begich for protecting our right to know by introducing this amendment, and working to drum up support in the Senate.

Tell Senator Begich: Thank you for supporting our right to know!

As always, thank you for taking action.

Sincerely,

Katey Parker
Partnership and Media Manager
Just Label It

Just a Spoonful of Cod Liver Oil

/ Ren

Many of us have heard of cod liver oil, perhaps through a story of childhood woes related by our grandparents or great-grandparents that went something like: “Every day my mother would make me take a spoonful of cod liver oil before I walked the five miles through the snow to school.” What this story doesn’t tell you is how lucky they were to have been given this historical super food. Yes, cod liver oil has been around for a long time.

Garum1You could even say it is the stuff of legends or, rather, the stuff legends were built on. The Roman soldiers were known to take fermented cod liver oil, Garum, on their marches across Europe. In the same vein, every Viking family had a barrel of cod livers fermenting by their front door and would take a spoonful of the oil upon leaving the house every day because they recognized its contribution to their vitality.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that the benefits of cod liver oil became better understood. Doctors in the 1920s recommended feeding children cod liver oil in order to prevent rickets (a crippling affliction caused by vitamin D deficiency, most notably endured by President Franklin D. Roosevelt). Studies have shown this nutrient-dense food (it is really more of a food, though we take it supplementarily) to contain high concentrations of naturally occurring vitamin A and D. DHA and EPA, two essential fatty acids particularly important for brain health and hormone production, respectively, are also found in cod liver oil. The importance and inherent practicality of consuming a food like this as a supplement is in the synergism of the components. Since vitamins A and D are fat-soluble, our bodies require fat to absorb them. The natural fatty acids in the cod liver oil act as the liaison for the absorption of A and D in your body, much as they did for the cod.

Although there has been some research indicating the possible toxicity of vitamin D and A that can occur from consuming large quantities, many cases are attributable to supplements created from synthesized A and D. This basically means the vitamins are not quite usable by the body (take D2, for example) and require your body to convert the supplement to a more usable form. Taking a supplement that requires your body to do more work seems counterproductive when there are nutrient-dense foods and supplements that can give you what you need without the extra bodily hassle. In addition, the unconverted portion of the synthetic supplement has nowhere to go but to build up in your body fat and create toxic concentrations that will lead to other problems.

As to the benefits of a daily dose of fermented cod liver oil, there are many. Research has shown that daily consumption of cod liver oil in northerly latitudes (particularly in the winter time when sun exposure is reduced) can improve vitamin D levels (thereby attenuating the Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that plagues so many of us), as well as increase bone density. A study in the Journal of Neurology looking at people living in the Arctic, found that supplemental cod liver oil taken during childhood may be protective against developing Multiple Sclerosis later in life. In addition, breastfeeding mothers taking cod liver oil show significantly higher levels of DHA and EPA in their breast milk. These higher levels have been shown to greatly benefit the developing fetus and baby. In “a double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed the use of cod liver oil during pregnancy and lactation to increase the child’s IQ at the age of four years. In this study, the control received the same amount of fat-soluble vitamins as the cod liver oil group, so the effects are most likely due to the DHA. In Norway, use of cod liver oil during pregnancy was associated with a 70 percent reduced risk of type 1 diabetes.”

I am an avid believer in the benefits of fermented cod liver oil because I have been using it myself over the last few years. At the beginning, I was not consistent, and although I suspected some benefits, I couldn’t be precise about what they were. During the summer, when I am outside more often, I take less simply because I feel that I get enough sun exposure and do not want to over-do my vitamin D levels that are already being accommodated by the sun and my skin. When the days get shorter and I am more bundled up during the cooler months of the year, I increase my intake, and make sure I am consistent. This Fall and Winter were the first that I have been consistent with my daily dose, and it is also the first year that SAD has not knocked on my door.

As a nutritionist, I believe that eating real foods, prepared using time-tested traditional methods is the only way to eat for vital health and well-being. In my ideology, fermented cod liver oil is an important part of building vital health, particularly for people who do not live in tropic zones of the world, where sunlight exposure is high. My preferred brand is Green Pasture because of the high quality of the livers (only wild caught fish livers from fish caught in clean Arctic waters are used), the high quality processing of the oil (using traditional fermentation methods), and the efforts in sustainability the company employs (they only work with companies that are certified members of the Marine Stewardship Council)

Luckily, this product is available at Rebecca’s, and costs less than ordering it online from Green Pastures or Dr. Ron’s. But, no matter how you get it, I highly recommend you do and start your daily dose of what your great-grandmother always knew was best!

IMG_4952

Caitlin Howell, MS (Human Nutrition)
Assistant Grocery Manager
Rebecca’s Natural Food, Charlottesville VA

Say NO to GMO salmon!

/ Ren

Tell President Obama and the FDA you won’t eat GMO salmon!

Right now President Obama and bureaucrats at the Food and Drug Administration are preparing to unleash genetically engineered salmon on the market. After years of controversial regulatory review, this past week the Obama administration cleared a final hurdle for AquaBounty’s GMO salmon to be approved at any moment.On Friday, December 21st, 2012, FDA bureaucrats declared that AquaBounty’s GMO AquaAdvantage® salmon poses no “significant” risk to the environment. This recent FDA decision comes on top of the agency’s 2010 declaration that the GMO salmon were safe for humans to eat, despite no independent long-term studies. Once again, the FDA is putting corporate science over public health.

If approved, AquaBounty’s GMO salmon would be the first genetically engineered animal to be sold for human consumption and could appear in restaurants and grocery stores as early 2013.

Right now there is an open 60-day public comment period at the FDA before any approval can move forward and we need your help today to get as many comments as possible.

Click here if you don’t want to eat GMO salmon! Tell President Obama, Congress and the FDA to put a halt on any approval of AquaBounty’s GMO salmon.

Already biotech cheerleaders are hailing the FDA’s recent announcement as a first of many new approvals to come, which means that more genetically engineered, transgenic animals could be approved in the near future.

In case you haven’t heard, the AquaBounty GMO salmon has been genetically engineered in laboratories to allegedly grow twice as fast as wild salmon, which the Massachusetts-based company hopes its patented mutant fish will replace as a new staple at sushi bars, seafood restaurants and supermarkets across America.

Straight from the pages of a science fiction novel, AquaBounty has inserted the genes of a Chinook salmon growth hormone and an “on-off” switch from the eelpout, into the eggs of Atlantic salmon, to make the GMO salmon grow faster than wild or farmed salmon.

Despite the company’s claims, critics remain skeptical that genetically engineered fish has any real benefits.

Once Again the FDA Ignores Serious Risks and Environmental Concerns

While AquaBounty claims its GMO salmon will only be raised in indoor, land-based facilities, environmentalists have real concerns if any accident were to take place. Scientific studies show that the release of just 60 GMO salmon could eradicate wild Atlantic salmon populations of 60,000 fish in less than 40 fish generations.

In an effort to overcome this, AquaBounty has built egg production facilities on Prince Edward Island in Canada and will then ship them to an indoor facility in Panama where they will be grown out. Once the GMO salmon are grown to maturity, they will be sold unlabeled in U.S. markets, if the Obama administration gets its way.

It is due to AquaBounty’s promise to only raise the GMO salmon in indoor, land-based pens that the Obama FDA has now given the mutant fish a thumbs up with its recently published Environmental Assessment (EA), claiming that the GMO salmon poses “no significant impact” on the environment.

In addition to land-based pens, AquaBounty claims it will only raise “sterile females”, but this is factually false since tests show that up to 5% of the GMO salmon are able to reproduce.

At the same time, leaked internal emails from the U.S. Department of Interior’s Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) reveal that the governments own scientists are dubious about the FDA’s own assessment.

In an email to a coworker, FWS geneticist Denise Hawkins wrote in 2010:

“I also agree … that using [genetically sterile] fish is not foolproof. Maybe [the FDA] should watch Jurassic Park.”

In addition, Hawkins criticized the FDA’s fantastical assessment of the ability of these GMO salmon to survive outside of the intended indoor pens, saying, “There is no data to support the claims of low survival in the event of escape, which… is a big concern.”

Click here to tell President Obama, Congress and the FDA to ban the approval of AquaBounty’s GMO salmon.

How will GMO salmon impact human health?

Because no independent, long-term scientific studies of AquaBounty’s patented salmon have been conducted, the human health impacts of GMO salmon are not currently known. Shockingly, the FDA is relying on scant scientific documents provided by AquaBounty itself. In fact, the FDA’s own assessment AquaBounty’s studies to determine whether GMO salmon are safe for human consumption states that the studies contain “technical flaws” and provide “insufficient data”.

For two of the studies submitted, AquaBounty used sample sizes so small that they have no scientific credibility, with only 12 fish tested for one study, while another study on possible allergic reactions in humans involved only 6 fish! Despite this scant evidence, the FDA is currently on the verge of approving the company’s GMO salmon.

Serious questions remain about eating fish engineered to grow faster and how genetically manipulated traits can impact human health, especially that of our most vulnerable populations such as pregnant mothers and children.

Act today to stand up for human health, food safety and the environment and the future of our planet.

Please share this alert with friends you know who may be concerned, we need all the comments we can get and every voice counts!

Thanks for participating in food democracy,

Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! team

Sources:

1. “White House Reverses Itself, Lifts Political Block on FDA Approval of GMO Salmon”, Forbes, 12/21/2012

2. “Genetically Engineered Salmon: Environmental Documents, AquAdvantage Salmon Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact” Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA.gov

3. “GE Animals Regulated Under New Animal Drug Provisions”, FDA.gov website, FDA Releases Final Guidance on Genetically Engineered Animals, January 15, 2009.

4. “Aqua Bounty Biotech Salmon OK to Eat-FDA Staff,” Reuters, September 3, 2010.

5. “Modified Salmon is Safe, FDA Says”, The New York Times, September 3, 2010

6. “Mutant Salmon Coming to a Kitchen Table Near You”, Fast Company, July 12, 2010

Tell FDA: Do Not Approve Genetically Engineered Salmon!

/ Ren

On December 21, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released an Environmental Assessment (EA) with a “Finding of No Significant Impact” on the controversial AquaBounty AquaAdvantage transgenic salmon.  The FDA action is widely viewed as confirmation that the Obama Administration is prepared to approve shortly the first genetically engineered (GE) animal intended for human consumption in the face of widespread opposition.

FDA says escape is unlikely and that the fish pose “no impact” to the environment.  But each year millions of farmed salmon escape, out-competing wild populations for resources and straining ecosystems.  Any approval of GE salmon would represent a serious threat to the survival of native salmon populations, many of which have already suffered severe declines related to salmon farms and other man-made impacts.  Additionally, the human health impacts of eating GE fish, which would be the first-ever GE food animal, are entirely unknown.

Sign the petition to tell the Food and Drug Administration not to approve GE salmon AND, if the Obama Administration insists on approving these genetically engineered fish, it should require the fish to be labeled!

The public has only 60 days to comment on this misguided and dangerous action..

SIGN NOW

Roe-on Diver Scallops

/ Ren

Rarely seen in the US, these wild North Atlantic scallops with roe still attached are seared until opaque in a fiercely hot skillet with local, farm-fresh butter.  The scallops are plated while black garlic, Louisiana shallots and bits of double-smoked bacon are sautéed and then quickly poured back over the top.  Finished with a grind of black pepper and a few flakes of crunchy Fleur de Sel..

Roe-on Diver Scallops

A diver scallop is a sea scallop that has been hand-picked off a rock by a scuba diver.  More ecologically friendly and less gritty than the boat-harvested variety,  mature scallops are selected from areas with strong water currents, helping to assure that they have firm, plump flesh and nice color.  Diver scallops also tend to be fresher, since they are shipped directly instead of being held in boats while they are sorted. (paraphrased from cookthink)

Related Articles

Seared Rare Maguro with Pineapple Tōgarashi and Pan-Roasted Edamame

/ Ren

Pole-and-line-caught maguro (yellowfin, ahi tuna) from the pristine waters of Hawaii is seasoned simply with sea salt and cracked pepper, then seared over high heat for two minutes per side.

Served with a sweet and sour puree of pineapple and mango seasoned with tōgarashi (dried Japanese chili peppers) and a splash of fresh lime juice.

Pan-Roasted organic edamame completes the dish..

While yellowfin tuna is found throughout most of the world’s oceans, troll/pole-caught from U.S. waters are contain less mercury than the larger longline and purse seine-caught fish found in international waters.  Hawaii enforces strict bycatch regulations, helping this fish to earn a “best choice” rating from Seafood Watch.

Blue Crab Créole

/ Ren

A bounty of fresh garden vegetables including green bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and celery, with loads of herbs and fresh spices like thyme, oregano, bay and cayenne.

Toss in a pound of Gulf blue crab and serve over steamed rice topped with garlic chives.  Don’t forget the hot sauce!

I eat Créole whenever I have the chance, which is a lot.  If you need it, here’s an easily adaptable recipe for the base.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Gulf of Mexico (Spanish: Golfo de México) is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba.  In Texas and Louisiana it is often called the “Third Coast,” in comparison with the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts.  –Wikipedia

Pan-Seared Halibut with Spiced Lemon Confit, English Peas

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan halibut seared in clarified butter and topped with spiced lemon confit, English peas and fresh parsley, cracked pepper and crunchy sea salt..

For the Lemon Confit (Saveur Magazine)

2 lemons
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cracked fennel seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
2 bay leaves

Halve lemons crosswise and squeeze their juice into a bowl; set juice aside.

Thinly slice juiced lemons crosswise and transfer lemons, reserved juice, and remaining ingredients to a 1-qt. saucepan over high heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; let cool. Transfer lemon confit to a glass jar, cover, and refrigerate. Confit will keep, refrigerated, for 3 weeks.

For the Halibut and Peas

2 wild Alaskan halibut filets, skinned, about 5-6 ounces each
2 tablespoons clarified butter
1 cup English peas, shelled
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
coarse sea salt for finishing

Gently rinse the halibut in cold water, pat dry and season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Carefully slide the halibut filets into the hot pan and sear without moving for 3 minutes.

Use a fish spatula to carefully turn the filets over and cook another 3 minutes (depending on thickness), basting all the while with the butter from the pan (the fish is done when it becomes opaque and easily separates into large flakes).  Transfer fish to warm dinner plates.

Quickly sauté the peas in the fish pan until just done, about 2-3 minutes.

Spoon some lemon confit over the fish, then spoon the peas on top of that.

Finish with coarse sea salt and parsley and serve immediately.

Pacific halibut is a bottom-dwelling groundfish that nestles into the sandy seafloor, often seen with only its eyes and mouth uncovered. Primarily found in the coastal North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, it migrates hundreds of miles from shallow coastal waters to the deep, open ocean to spawn in winter. Most return, year after year, to the same coastal feeding grounds.

Most Pacific halibut are caught in Alaska where fishing for Pacific halibut is strictly limited to the bottom longlining method, which causes little habitat damage or bycatch. Pacific halibut is also caught using troll lines and bottom trawl nets.  —Seafood Watch

Crevettes à la Créole

/ Ren

Generations of of French, African and Spanish heritage come together in this classic Louisiana preparation featuring fresh Gulf shrimp, homegrown tomatoes, onions, celery and green bell peppers.

I like to use stock-simmered, germinated brown rice instead of the traditional boiled white rice, lots of fresh oregano and thyme, green onions and celery.

My version is thicker than gumbo (a natural reduction vs. roux) and spicier than  jambalaya (fresh cayenne and Tabasco peppers), shrimp Creole is one of those deceptively simple dishes that are lately difficult to find well-made outside of the local parishes..

Related articles

Lobster Corn Cakes

/ Ren

Maine lobster, sweet corn, scallions and parsley in a fritter batter of fresh cream, sprouted flour and pastured egg.  Seasoned with sea salt and lemon pepper, served with red chili paste and fresh lime..

Makes 4-6 4-inch Cakes (basic fritter batter based on a recipe by Michael Ruhlman)

1 cup lobster meat, blanched, cooled and coarsely chopped
1 cup organic sweet corn (no GMOs here!)
2 fresh scallions, slivered
1-1/2 tablespoons parsley, chopped, rinsed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup sprouted flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
2 ounces fresh cream
2 ounces lobster stock
1 egg
oil for frying

Stir lobster, corn, scallions and parsley together in a bowl.

Combine flour, salt, pepper and baking powder together in another bowl.

Whisk together cream, lobster stock and egg in a third bowl.

Pour flour mixture into cream mixture and whisk until smooth (batter will be very thick).

Pour just enough fritter batter over the lobster mixture to hold it together. You may not need all of the batter.

Heat 1/4-inch of oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet until a flicked drop of water pops, then carefully drop quarter cupfuls of batter around pan, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon.

Shallow fry cakes until golden brown on both sides, then transfer to a side plate to drain for a moment before serving hot with your choice of condiments (I like red chili & lime).

Oyster and Andouille Gumbo

/ Ren

While “there are as many gumbo recipes as there are cooks”, one of my favorite preparations includes freshly-shucked gulf oysters and hand-made andouille sausage from LaPlace, Louisiana along with the usual suspects of chocolate-brown roux cooked down with onions, garlic, green pepper and celery.  There’s some fresh okra and tomato in there, with plenty of cayenne, fresh thyme and oregano as well.

I like to use sprouted brown rice instead of the traditional white rice, adding in the salty-sea liquor from the oysters in place of some of the water..

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Wild-Caught Salmon Chowder with Smoked Bacon and Black Sea Salt

/ Ren

Loaded with protein, omega 3’s and life-giving amino acids, this hearty and delicious soup has just a few carefully selected ingredients. Perfect fare on a cold winter’s eve..

Peel and cut 1 medium Yukon gold potato into 1/2-inch dice.  Place in a pot and barely cover with light chicken (or fish, vegetable) stock and bring to a low boil.  Cook until the stock has thickened with potato starch and the potatoes are very nearly done.  Turn off the heat and keep warm.

Cut a couple of thick slices of hardwood smoked bacon into 1-inch lengths and cook over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp.  Transfer the bacon to a side dish to drain, leaving the fat in the pan.

Add about 1 cup each of diced yellow onions, diced carrots and bias-cut celery to the pan with the bacon fat and cook without browning until al dente.

Meanwhile, remove the skin from 6 or 8 ounces of wild Alaskan salmon filets, tear into large chunks and set aside.

Add the potatoes and their cooking water to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the salmon and 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the pan, stir and simmer until the base has thickened and the salmon is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Add chopped fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh Meyer lemon juice and stir to combine.  Simmer for one last minute, then season to taste with freshly-ground black pepper.

Ladle soup into warm bowls, top with pieces of bacon and finish with a few flakes of black sea salt.

Related articles
  • Chef Freddie Bitsoie Recommends a Cross-Cultural Celebration of Native Regional Winter Recipes (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)

Andouille, Crab and Oyster Gumbo

/ Ren

Chocolate-colored roux, the Cajun/Creole “holy trinity” of red bell pepper, celery and roux, homemade shrimp stock, pecan wood-smoked Andouille, fresh crab and oysters..

For the Gumbo  (from a recipe by Andrew Zimmern, with slight modifications)

1/2 cup organic, all-purpose flour
4 ounces pastured butter
1 Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 fresh bay leaf
5 cups homemade shrimp stock (substitute chicken stock)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 jalapeno, minced
1/2 pound fresh okra, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 cups bottled clam juice
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
2 dozen shucked oysters and their liquor
3 tablespoons organic Worcestershire sauce
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons filé powder (divided)
3 large celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch dice
sea salt and black pepper
parsley, chopped for garnish
green onions, sliced for garnish

In a large pot, stir the flour and butter until smooth.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring every 45 seconds, until the roux turns a rich brown color, about 20 minutes.

Add the Andouille, celery, onion, red pepper, jalapeno, garlic, okra, thyme, bay leaf and half of the filé powder and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the stock, clam juice, Worcestershire and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the remaining filé powder and add the crab, oysters and their liquor.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently for 1 minute to just cook the oysters.  Serve the gumbo with rice or bread.

Not the same recipe, but who doesn’t miss Justin Wilson?

 

Shrimp à la Creole

/ Ren

A classic dish of wild-caught Gulf shrimp with lots of fresh celery, onions, garlic and green peppers in a base of tomatoes, shrimp stock, fresh thyme, parsley and oregano, cayenne, black pepper and sea salt..

Shrimp à la Creole (adapted from a recipe at nolacuisine.com)

2 pounds fresh shrimp (save shells to make shrimp stock)
2 tablespoons pastured butter
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons creole seasoning
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-1/2 cups very ripe fresh tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups shrimp stock
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 fresh bay leaves
cayenne to taste
sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly-ground white pepper
1 bunch fresh thyme
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons Tabasco
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup green onions, green tops thinly sliced, white part sliced into 1/4″ thickness
1/8 cup flat leaf parsley, minced

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan with the bacon grease over medium high heat.  When the butter begins to froth, add 1/2 cup of the onions.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown.  Add the remaining onions, celery, and bell pepper, reduce the heat to medium and season with 1 tbsp creole seasoning and a healthy pinch of salt.  Sweat the vegetables until soft.

Add the tomato paste mixing well, and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste begins to brown, then add the fresh tomatoes and another healthy pinch of sea salt (this will help the tomatoes break down).  Stir well.

When the tomatoes start to break down into liquid add the white wine and bring to a low boil.  Add the shrimp stock, remaining creole seasoning, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne (to taste), oregano and thyme.  Simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Add the hot sauce and Worcestershire and season to taste with sea salt.

Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp, simmering until just cooked through.

Serve with boiled rice and garnish with the remaining green onions and parsley.

Our Gulf friends are still struggling to recover from last summer’s devastating oil spill.  Please support them at every opportunity!

Mediterranean-Style Olive Oil-Poached Grouper

/ Ren

Inch-thick filets of fresh grouper are gently poached at exactly 120 degrees in top quality Spanish olive oil, thinly-sliced Meyer lemon, fresh Italian parsley and imported caper berries.  Freshly-ground black pepper and crunchy sea salt top off this Mediterranean-inspired, velvet-textured dish..

Deceptively simple, the key to success in poaching fish this way lies in ensuring that the olive oil is kept at a constant temperature throughout the entire process (about 15 minutes to pre-heat, and another 10-15 minutes to cook over low heat).  Use an instant-read thermometer to keep the temperature as close to 120 degrees as you can;  if the oil is too hot the fish will be tough and the flavors will lose their delicate balance.

“…Groupers, widely distributed in warm seas, are characteristically large-mouthed, rather heavy-bodied fishes that tend to remain in discrete areas. Some are very large fishes, attaining a length and weight of about 2 metres (6 feet) and 225 kilograms (500 pounds)—in some instances reportedly much more. Groupers are often dully coloured in greens or browns, but a number are brighter, more boldly patterned fishes. Some, such as the Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), are noted for their ability to change from one to any of a number of other colour patterns. Also, in many species, such as the blackfin and yellowfin groupers (Mycteroperca bonaci and M. venenosa), individuals inhabiting deeper waters are much redder than those living near shore. Groupers are protogynous hermaphrodites; that is, they first function as females and later transform into males. Groupers are prime food fishes and also provide sport for anglers and spearfishers…”  –Encyclopedia Britannica

Arroz con Camerones

/ Ren

Fresh jumbo gulf shrimp are briefly boiled in a stock containing sea salt, cracked cumin and coriander and fresh lime juice, then plunged into ice water to stop the cooking process.  Half of the shrimp are coarsely chopped and set aside along with the remaining whole pieces.  Next, a sofrito of garlic, onions and tomatoes is sauteed in a mixture of bacon fat and butter along with a couple of sliced Anaheim peppers.  Bomba rice is added and stirred to coat each grain in the flavored fat, then the cooking stock is added along with a spoonful of achiote paste.  Stirred continuously until most of the stock has been absorbed, the chopped shrimp is added along with a little more stock and heated through.  Seasoned to taste with freshly-ground black pepper and a handful of chopped fresh cilantro, then turned out into pre-warmed dishes and topped with the reserved whole shrimp and a little more hot stock..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Gulf Snapper on the Half Shell

/ Ren

Fresh Red Snapper filets from the Texas Gulf are grilled and basted over an open fire until crisp and a  little charred on the underside..

Gulf Snapper on the Half Shell

To prepare, filet fresh red snapper (or redfish), leaving the skin and scales in place to form a protective “half shell” that protects the flesh from the fire.

Lightly coat the grill grates with olive oil, then lay on the filets skin-side down.  Without moving the fish, grill until the underside is crisp and a little charred, basting all the while with a compound butter.  The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Example Compound Butter for Grilled Snapper

4 ounces pastured butter at room temperature
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 scant teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Combine all ingredients together in a heat-proof bowl and keep near enough to the fire to keep it soft during use.

The single most sought-after offshore fish, Red Snapper are caught from reefs, rigs and banks along the entire Texas coast. Hand line, manual reels and electric reels are used, all equipped with heavy weights and multiple hooks. Bait with fresh squid or cigar minnows; live pinfish or pigifsh will catch larger snapper.

After years under protection due to overfishing, Gulf Red Snapper has made a welcome recovery.  The NOAA Fisheries Service opened a 48-day recreational season this past summer, with an estimated catch of some three million pounds (adults average from 2 to 5 pounds, but can be much larger).

Butter-Poached Lobster on a Salt-Crusted Bolillo

/ Ren

Imagine the iconic New England lobster roll on a late summer evening.  Delicious, right?  Now re-imagine that as a Texican creation with homemade Key lime-ancho mayonnaise, fresh avocado and heirloom tomatoes served on a top-split, oven-toasted bolillo..

Butter-Poached Lobster on a Salt-Crusted Bolillo

For the Aioli (adapted from multiple recipes by Michael Ruhlman)

1 large, pastured egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon filtered water
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup avocado oil
2 teaspooons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed Key lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh red chili pepper, seeded and chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Whisk the yolk, salt and lemon juice together in a large, non-reactive bowl.  While whisking, drizzle in a few drops of oil, then a few more to establish the emulsion.  Whisking continuously, add the remaining oil in a thin stream.  The mixture should be thick enough to cling to your whisk (i.e., not pourable).

Whisk in the remaining ingredients (except the salt & pepper), then season to taste with the salt and pepper.  Cover tightly and refrigerate 1 hour before using.  If the avocado oil has begun to solidify, simple allow the mayonnaise to come to room temperature and give it a quick whisk.

To Prepare the Lobster

1/2 pound Canadian or Maine lobster knuckle and claw meat
6 oz pastured butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 fresh bay leaves

Put the wine and bay leaves into a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a quick boil.  Lower the heat and simmer until the wine has reduced in volume by half.  Add the butter and cook until you hear the milk solids begin to sizzle on the bottom of the pan.  Skim and discard the foam from the top, then regulate the heat until bubbles are barely breaking the surface.

Add the lobster and poach until just done, maybe 10 minutes.  Don’t let the butter boil and don’t let the lobster cook too long or it will be rubbery.  Transfer the lobster to a side dish to cool, reserving the butter for another recipe.

To make the Lobster Salad

1/2 pound poached lobster meat, coarsley chopped
1/4 cup key lime-ancho mayonnaise (more or less)
1/2 cup ripe, red heirloom tomato, coarsley chopped
1/2 cup fresh avocado, coarsley chopped

Lightly fold all ingredients together in a bowl, taking care not to let things get mashed up.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Bolillos

Use a bread knife to split fresh bolillos from the top, taking care not to cut all the way through.  Brush the split bolillos all over with lots of the leftover lobster poaching butter, then sprinkle with coarse sea salt.  Place in a 400 degree oven until nicely toasted, then remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

To Serve

Mound the still warm, split bolillos with the chilled lobster salad.  Dress with a squeeze of lime and garnish with a grind of chili and a little fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Blackened Gulf Grouper with Creole Sauce

/ Ren

Wild-caught grouper from the Gulf of Mexico is dipped in melted butter mixed with herbs and spices (smoked paprika, sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, caraway, dill, fresh bay, mace and cardamom), then seared in a white ash-hot cast iron skillet until opaque in the middle and slightly charred on the edges (about 2 minutes per side).  Served over a creole sauce of celery, onions, green peppers, garlic, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil, oregano and thyme..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“The word ‘grouper’ comes from the word for the fish, most widely believed to be from the Portuguese name, garoupa.  The origin of this name in Portuguese is believed to be from an indigenous South American language.

The grouper’s  mouth and gills form a powerful system that sucks their prey in from a distance.  They also use their mouth to dig into sand to form their shelters under big rocks, jetting it out through their gills.  Their gill muscles are so powerful that it is nearly impossible to pull them out of a cave if they feel attacked and extend those muscles to lock themselves in.

There is some research indicating that roving coral groupers (Plectropomus pessuliferus) sometimes cooperate with giant morays in hunting.” –Wikipedia

Dill Pollen Gravad Lax

/ Ren

Dating to the Middle Ages when Nordic fishermen salted and lightly fermented fresh-caught salmon by burying it in the sand above the high-tide line, Gravad Lax (gravlax) is prized to this day for its delicate, briny flavor.  Quite expensive to purchase at retail, but dead simple to make at home using only 5 ingredients..

Dill Pollen Gravad Lax

Sustainable and among the safest remaining species in terms of mercury and PCBs, wild Alaskan salmon is a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Protein, Niacin, Vitamin B12 and Selenium.  Think of it as gourmet grizzly bear food!

Gravad Lax

1 pound fresh, wild Alaskan salmon (skin on or off, pinbones removed)
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons organic, pure cane sugar
1 tablespoon dill pollen (more flavorful than the traditionally-used fresh dill)
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Combine the salt, sugar, dill and pepper together in a bowl.  Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface, then place enough salt mixture down to match the size of the salmon at a depth of about 3/8 inch.  Position the salmon on top, then spread the remainder of the salt on the exposed surfaces to a similar depth.

Tightly wrap the package as it is, then wrap the entire bundle one more time.  Place the wrapped salmon on a dish or inside of a plastic bag to catch the juices, then refrigerate for 48-72 hours, turning once half way through.

Unwrap the salmon, rinse away the salt under cold, running water and blot lightly.  To use, simply slice the salmon thinly on a bias and serve on top of a bagel with cream cheese, or in a French omelet, perhaps.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related articles

Watermelon Curry with Pan-Seared Shrimp

/ Ren

The warm heat of Kashmiri chili with fresh ginger, garlic, toasted spices and cooling, fresh watermelon, served with pan-seared, wild Gulf shrimp and aged Basmati rice..

Watermelon Curry with Pan-Seared Shrimp

1/2 pound fresh shrimp, peeled & deveined
2-1/2 cups fresh watermelon, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, divided
1/3 cup diced onion
3 garlic cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
1-inch piece true cinnamon
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon nigella sativa (charnushka)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
pinch of sugar
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 fresh lemon

Combine garlic, coriander, cumin, nigella, turmeric, ginger and sugar in a large Molcajete (a mortar made of volcanic stone), using a pestle to grind into a pulp.  Add half of the watermelon and grind into a thin paste.  Scrape contents into a clean bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.  Place cinnamon in hot ghee and cook until it begins to unfurl, about 5 minutes.  Don’t let the butter burn.

Remove cinnamon and discard; increase heat to medium high.  Once the ghee is shimmering, add the onions and shrimp and sear quickly until very lightly-browned, about 2 minutes.  Add watermelon and spice mixture, and let sizzle and fry until thickened, about 3 minutes.

Add remaining chunks of watermelon, stir to combine and heat another 2 minutes.  Squeeze a fresh lemon over the top and serve hot with aged basmati or naan, if you like.

Whitefish Salad on Everything Bagels

/ Ren

Smoked whitefish from the deep, cold waters of Lake Superior, tossed with homemade, roasted garlic mayo (seasoned with freeze-dried shallots, chives and scallions), celery, freshly-squeezed lemon juice and chopped egg.   Placed atop “everything bagels” with slivered red onions, thick slices of homegrown summer tomato, crunchy sea salt and fresh dill.  I think I’ve died and gone to a New York deli..

Whitefish Salad on Everything Bagels

Freshwater whitefish belong to the same family (Salmonidae) as salmon, trout and char. A slightly oily fish high in protein and B-Vitamins, this species is rated a Seafood Watch Best Choice.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Chili/Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan cod filets are soaked in a batter of corn flour, beer and chile molido (ground chile pods without additives), then quickly fried in oil and served Baja-style in a warm tortilla with a salad of blanched cabbages with freshly-squeezed lime and sea salt.  Topped with a dab of crema Mexicana and salsa and served piping hot..

Chili/Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

For the Batter

2/3 cup organic corn flour
1/4 cup organic all-purpose flour
1 pastured egg
2 teaspoons chile molido
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 bottle beer (not dark)

Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Whisk in the beer and egg.  Rinse and pat dry inch-thick pieces of cod (or other firm, white fish), place in the batter and refrigerate 1 hour before frying.

“Real Baja fish tacos are nothing like what you’re used to eating when it comes to Mexican food.  In fact, true Mexican cuisine might be our biggest missed chance.  Satisfied by the (admittedly tasty) Tex-Mex-style with its copious cheese, sour cream, pile-it-on technique, we are missing a world of subtlety shot through with spicy excitement, flavors that emphasize festivity and celebration, not fullness and indulgence–a rich tradition of indigenous techniques influences by European sensibilities, infused with a penchant for bold flavors.”  –The Paupered Chef

Grilled Wild Grouper with Aged Miso Corn Broth

/ Ren

Wild grouper (Hapu’u, Mero) from the Northwest Hawaiian Islands are briefly marinated in raw coconut and toasted sesame oils, seasoned with sea salt and Shichimi tōgarashi and grilled over a wood fire until slightly crisp on the edges and flaky and moist on the inside.  Served with a broth of roasted corn, aged red miso and scallions,  finished with a knob of cold butter and a touch of fresh lemon..

Grilled Wild Grouper with Aged Miso Corn Broth

The word “grouper” comes from the word for the fish, most widely believed to be from the Portuguese name, garoupa.  The origin of this name in Portuguese is believed to be from an indigenous South American language.

In Australia, the name “groper” is used instead of “grouper” for several species such as the Queensland grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus).  In the Philippines, it is named lapu-lapu in Luzon, while in the Visayas and Mindanao it goes by the name pugapo.   

There is some research indicating that roving coral groupers (Plectropomus pessuliferus) sometimes cooperate with giant morays in hunting.  –Wikipedia

Related articles

Fried Asian Sea Bass with Ginger-Lemongrass Curry, Scallion Scapes and Edamame

/ Ren

Skinless Pla Krapong (Asian sea bass, ปลากระพง) filets are dipped in beaten egg, then dusted in a seasoned mixture of 65% organic rice flour and 35% organic corn flour, then shallow-fried in 1/4-inch of raw coconut oil until light golden brown and flaky.

Served over a curry of coconut milk, lemongrass, fresh ginger, galangal, red and green chilies, kaffir lime peel and coriander seed, with crispy scallion scapes, edamame and fresh Thai basil..

Fried Sea Bass with Ginger Lemongrass Curry, Scallion Scapes and Edamame

Generally mercury and PCP-free, the mild-tasting, high-protein Asian sea bass (barramundi in Australia) contains roughly 800mg of omega-3s per serving.  With a texture similar to wild Alaskan cod, the Asian sea bass is suitable for frying, grilling and broiling.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

/ Ren

Plump, briny cherrystone clams from the cold waters of the Northern Atlantic, in a spicy, clear broth of clam juice, crushed tomatoes, sauteed celery, onions and garlic, red pepper flakes, bacon, parsley, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.  A true classic..

Manhattan Clam Chowder

Manhattan Clam Chowder (adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart)

3 cups filtered water
2 dozen cherrystone clams, scrubbed (about 2 cups clam meat)
5 slices non-smoked, thick-cut bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 jar (28 ounces) whole organic plum tomatoes, strained, juices reserved, tomatoes finely chopped
1 Kennebec or Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh celery leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring water to a boil in a large pot.  Add clams, cover, and cook until shells open, about 10 minutes.  Transfer clams to a large bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Discard any clams that do not open.  Remove meat from shells, and return to bowl.  Discard shells.  Pour reserved liquid through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl (you should have 2 1/2 cups).  Sprinkle a few tablespoons liquid over clams to keep them moist.

Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 7 minutes.  Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.  Pour off excess drippings, leaving just enough to coat bottom of pot.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and reduce heat to medium.  Add onion, celery, garlic, and red-pepper flakes, and cook, scraping bottom of pot, until vegetables are light gold, about 7 minutes.

Raise heat to high, and stir in tomatoes, 1 cup reserved tomato juice, 2 1/2 cups reserved clam broth, and the potato.  Reduce heat, and simmer until potato is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Cut large clams in half.  Stir clams, bacon, parsley, and oregano into broth, and heat until warmed through, about 30 seconds.  Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Manhattan clam chowder has clear broth, plus tomato for red color and flavor.  In the 1890s, this chowder was called “New York clam chowder” and “Fulton Fish Market clam chowder.”  Clam chowder, in its cream-based New England version, has been around since the mid-18th century.  Many restaurants in northern Rhode Island sell both red and white chowders, while the southern coast favors clear and white chowders.

The addition of tomatoes in place of milk was initially the work of Portuguese immigrants in Rhode Island, as tomato-based stews were already a traditional part of Portuguese cuisine.  Scornful New Englanders called this modified version “Manhattan-style” clam chowder. –Wikipedia

Related Articles

Fish Tacos with Yellow Tomato-Pineapple Salsa, Grilled Prickly Pear Cactus

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan cod is lightly spritzed with olive oil and seasoned with freshly-toasted cumin and coriander, sea salt and black pepper, then broiled until just done and easily separated into large flakes (I really like Red Snapper for fish tacos, but that species is still recovering from overfishing).

Fresh prickly pear cactus paddles (nopales) are spined and skinned, then grilled with sea salt and black pepper and finished with a squeeze of fresh lime.

Yellow tomatoes are chopped along with fresh pineapple, sweet red peppers, red onion, jalapeño and cilantro.

All served up in a thick, fresh white corn tortilla..

Fish Tacos with Yellow Tomato-Pineapple Salsa, Grilled Prickly Pear Cactus

For the Salsa

3/4 cup fresh yellow tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup fresh pineapple, diced
2 tablespoons fresh pineapple juice
1/3 cup red onion, diced
2 small, sweet red peppers, thinly sliced
1-2 fresh jalapeño or serrano peppers, minced
1/4 fresh cilantro, torn
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper together in a non-reactive bowl and refrigerate 2 hours, stirring occasionally to allow the flavors to combine.  Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and keep chilled until ready to serve.

“Nopales are very rich in insoluble and especially soluble dietary fiber. They are also rich in vitamins (especially vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, but also riboflavin and vitamin B6) and minerals (especially magnesium, potassium, and manganese, but also iron and copper).  Nopales have a high calcium content, but the nutrient is not biologically available because it is present as calcium oxalate, which is neither highly soluble nor easily absorbed through the intestinal wall.  Addition of nopales also reduces the glycemic effect of a mixed meal.  Nopales are low carbohydrate and may help in the treatment of diabetes.”  –Wikipedia

http://twitter.com/#!/StrawberryToast/statuses/56883976496889856

Linguine con Vongole

/ Ren

A simple, classic Venetian dish of fresh hard clams steamed in a broth of clam juice, Prosecco frizzante [1], crushed red pepper and loads of garlic.  Tossed with fresh linguine and flat-leaf parsley, drizzled with olive oil and remaining pan juices and seasoned with cracked black pepper and crunchy sea salt..

Linguine con Vongole

In culinary use, within the eastern coast of the USA, the term “clam” most often refers to the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria.  It may also refer to several other common edible species, such as the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria, and the ocean quahog, Arctica islandica. Another species which is commercially exploited on the Atlantic Coast of the US is the surf clam Spisula solidissima.

In Italy, clams are often an ingredient of mixed seafood dishes, or are eaten together with pasta. The more commonly used varieties of clams in Italian cooking are the Vongola (Venerupis decussata), the Cozza (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and the Tellina (Donax trunculus). A variety of mussel called Dattero di mare (Lithophaga lithophaga) was also once widely popular as seafood.

1. Compared to other sparkling wines, Prosecco is low in alcohol, about 11 to 12 percent by volume.  The flavor of Prosecco has been described as intensely aromatic and crisp, bringing to mind yellow apple, pear, white peach and apricot.  Unlike Champagne, appreciated for its rich taste and complex secondary aromas, most Prosecco variants have intense primary aromas and are meant to taste fresh, light and comparatively simple.  –Wikipedia

Crispy, Oven-Fried Cod with Homemade Tartare

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan cod filets are dipped in melted butter with sea salt, black pepper, dried lemon peel and a bit of Old Bay seasoning, then rolled in freshly-crushed, unsweetened organic corn flakes (gluten-free).   Baked until flaky and crisp and served with a tartare of homemade mayonnaise, capers, gherkins and chives..

Crispy, Oven-Fried Cod with Homemade Tartare

Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus or true cod) is found mainly along the continental shelf and upper slopes with a range around the rim of the North Pacific Ocean, from the Yellow Sea to the Bering Strait, along the Aleutian Islands to a depth of about 900 meters.

Cod is very low insSaturated fat. It is also a good source of Niacin, Vitamin B12 and Potassium, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus and Selenium.

BBQ Oysters

/ Ren

Fresh, plump oysters from the Texas gulf are carefully scrubbed and briefly shocked in iced salt water before being grilled over a wood fire (cup side down, about 8 minutes cooking time depending on size).  Quickly and carefully opened so as not to lose the precious liquid inside, then given a shot of tangy BBQ sauce and a little crumbled bleu cheese.  Back on the grill for a minute or two, seasoned with a little sea salt & freshly-ground pepper and served piping hot..

BBQ Oysters

“Corpus Christi gave birth to a tall Texas tale adding to the state’s oyster lore. As the story goes, Texas Rangers chased a band of marauding Indians onto a beach jutting into the bay. Knowing the Indians were surrounded by water and couldn’t escape the Rangers decided to camp until morning. When the sun rose, the beach was empty. All they found were footprints leading into the water.

Some say the story marked the discovery of Reef Road, a series of oyster shell beds between Corpus Christi and Nueces bays. Reef Road could be crossed by horse wagon at low tide, and for years locals used the submerged route to cut travel time between Nueces and San Patricio counties. Meanwhile, other enterprising Texans were reaping a harvest that would develop into the country’s second-leading oyster industry. By 1890, four years before the Grand Opera hall opened in romantic Galveston, oystermen harvested more than 2 million pounds of meat. Fourteen years later, as Galveston rebuilt from the devastating hurricane of 1900, the figure had climbed to a record-breaking 3.5 million pounds.”  –texasoysters.org


Tuna Tartare with a Texas Twist

/ Ren

Fresh jalapeños, scallions, sea salt and a touch of sesame oil is sandwiched between layers of pole-caught ahi tuna (1/4-inch dice) combined with  olive oil, fresh grapefruit juice, sea salt, black pepper and freshly-ground coriander.

The dish is plated with fresh Texas grapefruit pieces tossed with raw coconut aminos (think soy-free soy sauce), mirin and cilantro.  Toasted hemp seeds top the raw tuna..

Tuna Tartare with a Texas Twist

When eating raw tuna, take care to ensure that it is exceedingly fresh and that you keep it well chilled at all times.  I cut the tuna into steaks and place them in the freezer just until they begin to firm up, then dice, season and serve as quickly as possible.

Please don’t use any threatened species of tuna or those caught in an environmentally destructive manner!

P.E.I. Mussels with Roasted Tomatoes, Green Garlic and Preserved Lemon

/ Ren

Sustainably rope-grown in the cold waters surrounding Prince Edward Island, these plump, tender mussels are steamed over a reduction of white wine, saffron and  preserved lemon, with green garlic, roasted tomatoes and shaved fennel.  Served over gluten-free, non-GMO corn pasta with fennel fronds and crunchy sea salt..

P.E.I. Mussels with Roasted Tomatoes, Green Garlic and Preserved Lemon

Consumed by humans for thousands of years, mussels are an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, iron and selenium.

“Mussels must be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed several times before cooking; wild mussels will need to be scrubbed with a stiff brush to remove any barnacles, sand or grit and their beard must also be removed. This can be done by giving the beard a forceful tug with your fingers and pulling it away or by cutting it off with a small and sharp knife.

Rinse the wild mussels several times but do not let them sit in water, as freshwater will kill them.

Farmed mussels will have already been prepared for cooking and it will suffice to just give them a quick rinse under a running tap of cold water.” –helpwithcooking.com

Trivia: the pale white meat indicates a male mussel, while the females are a yellowish rust color.


If I had a deli,

/ Ren

I would serve European-style smoked salmon on a toasted, by-God real New York bagel with locally-made triple-cream mascarpone, fresh dill, home-made preserved lemon, seasonal heirloom tomato, Sicilian capers, red onion, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper..

Classic Smoked Salmon on a Toasted Bagel

Contrary to common legend, the bagel was not created in the shape of a stirrup to commemorate the victory of Poland’s King Jan Sobieski over the Ottoman Turks in 1683.  It was actually invented much earlier in Kraków, Poland, as a competitor to the bublik, a lean bread of wheat flour designed for Lent. In the 16th and first half of the 17th centuries, the bajgiel became a staple of the Polish national diet.

There was a tradition among many observant Jewish families to make bagels on Saturday evenings at the conclusion of the Sabbath.  Due to Jewish Sabbath restrictions, they were not permitted to cook during the period of the Sabbath and, compared with other types of bread, bagels could be baked very quickly as soon as it ended.

That the name originated from beugal (old spelling of Bügel, meaning bail/bow or bale) is considered plausible by many, both from the similarities of the word and because traditional handmade bagels are not perfectly circular but rather slightly stirrup-shaped  (this, however, may be due to the way the boiled bagels are pressed together on the baking sheet before baking).  Also, variants of the word beugal are used in Yiddish and Austrian German to refer to a round loaf of bread (see Gugelhupf for an Austrian cake with a similar ring shape), or in southern German dialects (where beuge refers to a pile, e.g., holzbeuge, or woodpile)…

Bagels were brought to the United States by immigrant Jews, with a thriving business developing in New York City that was controlled for decades by Bagel Bakers Local 338, which had contracts with nearly all bagel bakeries in and around the city for its workers, who prepared all the bagels by hand.  The bagel came into more general use throughout North America in the last quarter of the 20th century, at least partly due to the efforts of bagel baker Harry Lender and Florence Sender, who pioneered automated production and distribution of frozen bagels in the 1960s. -Wikipedia

Gulf Coast Gathering: Foodways Texas Annual Symposium

/ Ren

Foodways Texas, the new organization that aims to “preserve, promote and celebrate the diverse food cultures of Texas” has announced their first symposium, to be held in Galveston next month..

“Join us at Texas A&M University in Galveston for our 2011 Symposium, “Gulf Coast Gathering,” February, 25-26. We’ll post the final program and hotel information soon, but plan for meals by featured chefs, Tim Byres of Smoke in Dallas, Chris Shepherd of Catalan in Houston, and Casey Gaido of Gaido’s in Galveston (all scheduled meals included in registration price), an oyster tasting and happy hour, and a full day of speakers and panels regarding Texas Gulf Coast food culture.”

Gulf Coast Gathering
2011 Foodways Texas Symposium
February 25-26, 2011
Galveston, Texas

“Foodways Texas is an organization founded by scholars, chefs, journalists, restaurateurs, farmers, ranchers, and other citizens of the state of Texas who have made it their mission to preserve, promote and celebrate the diverse food cultures of Texas. By joining and supporting Foodways Texas, you become part of a movement to preserve the vibrant foodways of Texas through oral history projects, documentary films, recipe collections, and scholarly research. You will join us in highlighting the state’s distinctive foods and food cultures at our annual scholarly symposium, supporting educational food-based seminars, promoting local food networks, and partnering with universities and other non-profit organizations to educate future generations about healthy and sustainable food practices.”

Related Articles
  • Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook pulls together recipes that define South (commercialappeal.com)

Crispy Wild Halibut with Fried Jamón Serrano, Dijon and Green Peppercorn Sauce

/ Ren

Fresh filets of wild Alaskan halibut are lightly seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, then quickly seared in clarified butter over high heat until the skin is crisp and brown and the fish is moist and flaky.

Served over a sauce of Pinot gris, shallots, green peppercorns,  and Dijon mustard, finished with cold, cultured butter and brightened with a little fresh parsley.  Accompanied with some bits of fried jamón serrano for flavor and texture..

Crispy Wild Halibut with Fried Jamón Serrano, Dijon and Green Peppercorn Sauce

The North Pacific commercial halibut fishery dates to the late 19th century and today is one of the region’s largest and most lucrative.  In Canadian and U.S. waters, longline predominates, using chunks of octopus (“devilfish”) or other bait on circle hooks attached at regular intervals to a weighted line that can extend for several miles across the bottom.

Halibut have been an important food source to Native Americans and Canadian First Nations for thousands of years and continue to be a key element to many coastal subsistence economies. Accommodating the competing interests of commercial, sport, and subsistence users remains a difficult challenge. -Wikipedia

Pots on Fiyo (Filé Gumbo)

/ Ren

Shrimp stock thickened with sassafras and loaded with lump crab, andouille sausage, jumbo shrimp, garlic, celery, onions and green bell peppers, seasoned with oregano, cumin,  bay, thyme and mace..

Pots on Fiyo (Filé Gumbo)

For hundreds of years the Choctaw Indians have had a settlement at Bayou Lacombe on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain; they had a way of making Gumbo long before the Africans and Europeans arrived..  –NOLA Cuisine


Related Articles

  • Harlem’s Danny Glover’s Seafood Gumbo (harlemworldblog.wordpress.com)

Rustic Lobster Bisque

/ Ren

Butter-poached North Atlantic lobster in homemade shell stock,  teeming with fresh thyme, celery, onions, plum tomatoes, heavy cream and aged sherry.  Cracked pepper, crunchy sea salt and a few drizzles of chili oil..

Rustic Lobster Bisque

“Bisque is a method of extracting every bit of flavor from imperfect crustaceans not good enough to send to market. In an authentic bisque, the shells are ground to a fine paste and added to thicken the soup.  Julia Child even remarked, “Do not wash anything off until the soup is done because you will be using the same utensils repeatedly and you don’t want any marvelous tidbits of flavor losing themselves down the drain.” –Wikipedia

Garlic Potato-Crusted Halibut with Dill Pollen Beurre Nantais

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan halibut fillets with a crunchy topping of shredded potatoes and fresh garlic, served over a dill pollen-infused reduction of butter, white white, red shallots, fresh lemon, cream and chopped parsley (beurre nantais)..

Garlic Potato-Crusted Halibut with Dill Pollen Beurre Nantais

“Halibut feed on almost any animal they can fit into their mouths. Juvenile halibut feed on small crustaceans and other bottom dwelling organisms. Animals found in their stomachs include sand lance, octopus, crab, salmon, hermit crabs, lamprey, sculpin, cod, pollock, herring, flounder as well as other halibut. Halibut live at depths ranging from a few meters to hundreds of meters, and although they spend most of their time near the bottom,[1] halibut may move up in the water column to feed. In most ecosystems the halibut is near the top of the marine food chain. In the North Pacific their only common predators are the sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), the orca (Orcinus orca), and the salmon shark (Lamna ditropis).”

“Halibut have been an important food source to Native Americans and Canadian First Nations for thousands of years and continue to be a key element to many coastal subsistence economies.”  –Wikipedia


Aji Amarillo and Garlic-Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Verbena Salsa Fresca

/ Ren

Colossal (U10) wild Mexican white shrimp, sustainably hand-netted in the Sea of Cortés.   Briefly marinated in extra virgin olive oil, aji amarillo, a little sea salt, freshly-ground pepper and plenty of fresh garlic, then quickly seared on a hot grill and served with a fresh salsa of heirloom tomatoes, fresh chilies, minced white onion, olive oil, garlic, fresh cilantro, lemon verbena, sea salt and spices..

Aji Mirasol and Garlic-Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Verbena Salsa Fresca

One of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet with more than 5,000 species of macroinvertebrates, the narrow Sea of Cortés is home to creatures like the critically endangered Vaquita Marina, Humpback and Blue Whales, Manta Ray, Leatherback Sea Turtle and these amazingly large and delicious white shrimp.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hemp-crusted Wild Alaskan Salmon, Yuzu-Ginger Glaze (and a call to action!)

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan sockeye salmon is pan-seared with hulled hemp seeds, then finished in a hot oven with a sauce of freshly-squeezed yuzu juice, organic tamari and fresh ginger, scallions and shichimi tōgarashi..

Hemp-crusted Wild Alaskan Salmon, Yuzu-Ginger Glaze

Adapted from a recipe by True Food Kitchen

For the Glaze

2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed yuzu juice
1 tablespoon raw palm sugar (to taste, optional)
1 tablespoon yuzu zest
1 tablespoon organic, traditionally fermented tamari
2-3 dashes ume plum vinegar (optional, balance against sugar if using)
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon shichimi togarashi

Put yuzu juice and sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a low boil.  Lower heat and simmer until reduced in volume by about a third or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Add remaining ingredients (except scallions and coriander leaves), reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.

For the Salmon

Fresh wild Alaskan salmon fillets
Hulled hemp seeds to coat
Raw coconut oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Coat salmon fillets with hemp seed then place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.   Heat coconut oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then place hemp-coated salmon in the hot oil, presentation side down.

Sauté until light golden brown then gently turn over and pour yuzu-ginger glaze over the top.  Place pan with salmon in a 400 degree oven and roast until just done, about 8 minutes depending on thickness.

Transfer cooked fish to dinner plates, then add scrape pan juices into the yuzu-ginger glaze, add scallions and coriander leaves, stir and pour back over the salmon.  Serve immediately.

From Red Gold

“The Bristol Bay region of Southwest Alaska is home to the Kvichak and Nushagak rivers, the two most prolific sockeye salmon runs left in the world.  Foreign mining companies Northern Dynasty Minerals and Anglo American have partnered to propose development of what could be one of the world’s largest open-pit and underground mines at the headwaters of the two river systems.  Mine backers claim the Pebble exploration site is the second largest combined deposit of copper, gold, and molybdenum ever discovered, and has an estimated value of more than $300 billion.

Despite promises of a clean project by officials, the accident-plagued history of hard rock mining has sparked deep concern from Alaskans who love and depend upon Bristol Bay’s incredible wild salmon fishery.  Red Gold documents the growing unrest among Alaska Native, commercial, and sport-fishermen.  It’s a portrait of a unique way of life that will not survive if the salmon don’t return with Bristol Bay’s tide...”

For More Information:

Red Gold Film
www.redgoldfilm.com

Trout Unlimited Alaska
www.savebristolbay.org

Why Wild
www.whywild.org

Renewable Resources Coalition
www.renewableresourcescoalition.org

Earthworks
www.earthworksaction.org

No Dirty Gold
www.nodirtygold.org

The Pebble Partnership
www.pebblepartnership.com

Anchorage Daily News
www.adn.com

Anchorage Daily News, Pebble Blog
http://community.adn.com/adn/blog/61223

Related Articles
  • Fighting the Alaskan wilderness mine | Bobby Andrew and George Wilson Jr (guardian.co.uk)
  • The end of the greatest American fishery? (salon.com)
  • Jewelers Choose Salmon Over Gold (food.change.org)

Butter-Poached Newfoundland Lobster

/ Ren

Fresh lobster tails from the icy waters of Newfoundland and Labrador are gently poached in cultured butter with organic Pinot grigio, heirloom tomatoes, slivered leeks, fresh or preserved lemon, garlic, fresh marjoram and bay..

Butter-Poached Newfoundland Lobster

lobster tails
lobster shells
8 oz cultured butter, cold, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz Pinot gris or other semi-dry white wine
1 bay leaf, fresh preferred
2 wedges preserved lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
2 inches fresh leeks, green and white parts, slivered
1 heirloom tomato, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon safflower stamens (for color, optional)
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, torn
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat wine and empty lobster shells in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmering.  Reduce heat to medium low, add lemon, bay, garlic, tomato and leeks and cook until tomatoes and leeks begin to disintegrate, about 12 minutes.

Whisk in butter one piece at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next.  Do not allow to boil or the emulsion will break.

Add safflower, marjoram, parsley and lobster tails and gently poach until firm and opaque, about 10 minutes.  Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

To serve, arrange tails in a shallow bowl and spoon poaching liquid over the top.  Serve with crusty bread and a salad of field greens, perhaps.

Leftover poaching liquid makes a great base for bisque.  Keep it in the freezer up to three months.

Related Articles

Sesame-grilled Tombo with Shiromiso-Dashi, Coriander and Red Dulce

/ Ren

Fresh Tombo (pole-and-line-caught US Pacific albacore tuna) is briefly marinated in mirin, ponzu and sesame seed oil before being indirectly-grilled over a roaring wood fire.

Served rare/medium rare with a flavorful broth of white miso and dashi with bits of red dulce, fresh coriander and flecks of rooster sauce, these 1-1/2 inch thick steaks were grilled for just under 2 minutes per side, then rested 5 minutes before plating..

 

Sesame-grilled Tombo with Shiromiso-Dashi, Coriander and Red Dulce

 

Fishery researchers generally agree that the Northwest Pacific albacore population is a healthy stock at the current time. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program considers the North Pacific albacore fishery to be “eco-friendly”, in that there is very little by-catch and no impact on fishery habitat.  Unlike some other tuna species, albacore do not usually swim with dolphins – and for this reason there is not a dolphin-associated albacore fishery anywhere in the world.  Because the catch consists mostly of younger, smaller specimens, Northwest Pacific tombo tend to be much lower in mercury than those caught elsewhere in the world.

Black Pasta with Lump Crab and Artichokes in Asiago Cream

/ Ren

Jumbo lump crab, artichoke hearts and sweet peppers in a fish velouté with shallots, white wine, cream, Asiago and flat-leaf parsley.  Seasoned with sea salt, black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes and served over a bed of squid ink pasta..

Black Pasta with Lump Crab and Artichokes in Asiago Cream

Related Articles
  • Recipe: The Oceanaire Seafood Room’s Maryland-Style Crab Cakes (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Poached Halibut with Smoked Bacon-Tomato Gremolata

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan halibut fillets are gently poached in a court bouillon with Alsatian Pinot gris, pastured butter, fresh thyme, lemon verbena and a mirepoix of diced celery, onions and carrots.  The flaky, snow-white fish is topped with a gremolata of chopped parsley, fresh lemon, garlic, smoked bacon and heirloom tomatoes and seasoned with coarse sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper..

Poached Halibut with Smoked Bacon-Tomato Gremolata

For the Court Bouillon

1 pint filtered water
1/3 cup Pinot gris
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup carrots, diced
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs lemon verbena
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the celery, onions, carrots and garlic and cook without browning until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the water, wine, herbs and peppercorns and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

To poach halibut, lower fillets into simmering water and gently poach (do not allow to boil) until just firm and opaque, about 15 minutes per inch of thickness.

For the Gremolata

1/4 cup smoked bacon cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup heirloom tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Pour off all put a teaspoon of fat, then add the garlic and sauté 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice and parsley.

To serve, place halibut in a shallow bowl and spoon a little of the poaching liquid over the top.  Dress with gremolata and season with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Related Articles
  • Recipe: Pan-Seared Marinated Halibut Fillets (nytimes.com)

Achiote-Grilled Shiro Maguro with Mango Salsa Fresca

/ Ren

Fresh Shiro Maguro (albacore tuna, sustainably pole-and-line caught in the Pacific Northwest) is marinated in a paste of ground achiote, coriander and cumin seeds, Mexican oregano, garlic, olive oil and Seville orange juice.  The inch-thick steaks are rare-grilled over a hot mesquite fire and served with a salsa of fresh mango, heirloom tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and fresh green cayenne peppers with a pinch of chipotle and a touch of piloncillo..

Achiote-Grilled Shiro Maguro with Mango Salsa Fresca

For the Tuna

2 very fresh tuna steaks, about 1 inch-thick
2 tablespoons organic achiote seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 scant teaspoon sea salt
3-4 oz Seville orange juice
1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup raw olive oil

Grind the achiote, cumin and coriander together in a spice or coffee grinder, pour into a bowl and combine with oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar until a thick paste is formed.  Thin with orange juice until it is of a spoonable consistency.  Set the tuna steak in the marinade and refrigerate 1 hour, turning once.

For the Salsa

1 ripe mango, diced
1 heirloom tomato, diced
1 4-inch green cayenne pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 green onions, slivered
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon Mexican piloncillo (substitute palm sugar)
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl and refrigerate 1-2 hours.

To prepare, sear cold tuna over a hot wood fire until rare, about 5 minutes total.  Move to the cool side of the grill, baste with additional marinade and let stand until almost medium rare, about 2 minutes more.  Serve straight from the grill with mango salsa and a wedge of lime.

Éperlan de Lac

/ Ren

Most closely resembling small trout or salmon, éperlan de lac (lake smelt) are native to the US Atlantic coast from New Jersey north to Labrador.  In 1912,  smelt were planted in Crystal Lake, Michigan; it is from there that they found their way to Lake Michigan.

Smelt Osmerus mordax

Spawning runs begin in the early spring, and extend for about three weeks.  I first met lake smelt in the 1970’s while camping in Wisconsin’s Door County, where early risers dip-net them from tributaries by the thousands.

Smelt are best prepared shore-side, minutes after being caught..

Éperlan de Lac

To Prepare

Clean fresh smelt by removing the head and entrails then rinsing in plenty of cool, clean water.  There is no need to remove the tiny fins or bones.

Pat the cleaned fish dry (you’ll want as many as a dozen per person, depending on size), then dip first in an egg beaten with a little water, then in cornmeal seasoned with ground bay, celery, dry mustard and red and black pepper.  Allow to stand while you melt some farmhouse butter (and a little olive oil) in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  A quarter inch on the bottom of the pan is about right.

Once the foam subsides, slide the fish into the pan without crowding and shallow-fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer fish to a plain brown paper bag to drain for a moment, then season with a little crunchy sea salt.  Serve piping hot with lemon wedges, homemade tartar sauce and perhaps a little Tabasco on the side.

Door County, Wisconsin

Bookmark and Share

Pan-Seared, Pole-Caught Maguro with Habanero Mango Sauce

/ Ren

Pole-and-line-caught US Atlantic yellowfin tuna is quickly seared in ginger and lemongrass-infused coconut oil and served with a fresh habanero mango sauce..

Pan-Seared, Pole-Caught Maguro with Habanero Mango Sauce

Infused oil

3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon freshly-grated ginger
1 6″ piece fresh lemongrass, split
2-3 sprigs fresh cilantro
1/2 fresh habanero, stemmed and seeded

Melt coconut oil over medium heat until very hot but not smoking .  Add ginger, lemongrass, cilantro and chile, remove from heat and allow to steep 20 minutes. Discard lemongrass.

Mango Sauce

1 fresh mango, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed Mayer lemon juice
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
the ginger, cilantro and chile from above recipe
1 tablespoon infused oil from above recipe
filtered water
sea salt

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth, adding water as needed to achieve a spoon-able consistency. Adjust for salt and chill until ready to serve.

Seared Tuna

very fresh tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons infused oil from above recipe
sea salt
freshly-ground red and black peppercorns

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes. Coat tuna with infused oil and season with salt and pepper.  Sear about 1 minute per side for rare, then transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest 5 minutes before carving into 3/8 inch thick slices. Spoon mango sauce into the center of a plate and arrange tuna on top. Garnish as you like.

Pan-Fried Trout with Sesame, Lemon, Shallots, Enoki and Leek Flowers

/ Ren

Fresh Idaho trout fillets are seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then seared over high heat in sweet butter and sesame oil until crisp around the edges.  The pan is then de-glazed with white wine and reduced with shallots, fresh lemon and chopped parsley.  Enoki mushrooms are sautéed with leek flowers, dried citrus peel, garlic, coriander and sesame seeds..

Pan-Fried Trout with Sesame, Lemon, Shallots, Enoki and Leek Flowers

Shrimp and Grits

/ Ren

Gigantic gulf shrimp are sautéed in sweet butter with fresh lemon, celery, tomatoes, white wine and parsley and served over stone-ground yellow grits with fresh thyme, shrimp stock, garlic and cream..

Shrimp and Grits

Adapted from recipes by Chef Chris Hastings, Coastal Living

For the Grits

1/2 cup stone-ground yellow grits
1 tablespoon cultured butter
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup shrimp stock (substitute fish fumét or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup water
1 clove garlic, slivered
1 tablespoon shallot, diced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Add thyme, garlic and shallots and sauté until soft and fragrant.  Whisk in broth and cream, reduce heat and cook until done, adding water as you go, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the Shrimp

4 very fresh jumbo Gulf shrimp, peeled, de-veined and patted dry
2 tablespoons sweet butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons red or green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoon celery, diced
1 small plum tomato, chopped
2 green onions, slivered
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (substitute Old Bay)
1/4 dry white wine
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Heat half of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add celery, bell pepper and shallots and cook 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook without moving until lightly browned on the outside and opaque on the inside, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Remove shrimp from pan and add wine, cook and reduce until only a little liquid remains, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice and shrimp and heat through, about 2 minutes.

To serve, spoon grits into a bowl and arrange shrimp over the top.  Pour the remaining butter sauce over the top and serve with Tabasco if desired.

A Nice Piece of Fish

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan salmon is lightly seasoned with fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then quickly seared in butter and olive oil.  Minced shallots are added to the pan along with fresh dill, white wine and a teaspoon of the liquor from a jar of preserved lemons.  A knob of cold butter is whisked in at the end, then the sauce is poured back over the salmon.  Served with a small salad of winter cress, dandelion greens, slivered radishes, preserved lemon peel, champagne vinegar and raw olive oil.  The flavors are clean, fresh and distinct..

Pan-roasted Salmon

Atchafalaya Crawboy

/ Ren

Reminiscent of a New England lobster roll, this recipe uses red swamp crawfish poached in butter, garlic and Meyer lemon.  The flavorful tail-meat is then chilled and tossed with homemade mayonnaise, shaved celery, green bell pepper, scallions and Cajun spices.  Served on a top-split, toasted roll with dandelion greens, crunchy sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper and Tabasco sauce..

Atchafalaya Crawboy

For the Crawfish

1/2 pound red swamp crawfish tail-meat, preferably fresh
3 tablespoons pastured butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon
2 oz semi-dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Melt the butter in a non-reactive pan set over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add crawfish, lemon juice and wine and simmer slowly until crawfish is barely done. Remove from heat, stir in parsley and allow to cool.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer mixture to a bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  The cooking liquid may be reserved for another recipe if desired.

For the Mayonnaise

8 oz olive oil
2 small pastured egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (paprika, cayenne, thyme, oregano, black pepper)
fine sea salt to taste

Whisk lemon juice, egg yolks and seasoning together in a bowl.  Add the oil in a very thin stream, whisking continuously to form an emulsion.  Season to taste with salt, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

For the Crawfish Salad

1 cup crawfish from above
1/3 cup mayonnaise from above
1 1/2 tablespoons celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon green bell pepper, diced
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust for seasoning if needed. Chill until ready to use.

To assemble

Top-split fresh sandwich rolls and toast under broiler until golden brown.  Spread with a little butter, then loosely fill with blanched and shocked dandelion greens.  Fill with chilled crawfish salad, then dress with Tabasco and lemon juice.  Serve immediately.

Criques au Caviar

/ Ren

Delicate potato pancakes topped with crème fraîche and domestic caviar..

Criques au Caviar

For the Crème Fraîche

6 oz fresh heavy cream
2 oz cultured buttermilk

Gently heat heavy cream to 105 degrees (use a thermometer), then remove from heat and stir in buttermilk.  Transfer to a glass jar, cover with a napkin and allow to stand at room temperature until thick, about 24-36 hours.  Transfer to the refrigerator and age for 24 hours.  Use within 7-10 days.

For the Criques, (about 6 2-3 inch pancakes, adapted from a recipe by Jacques Pépin)

1 cup Yukon gold or fingerling potatoes
1 large farm-fresh egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 spring onion, slivered
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon cultured butter
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Peel and dice potatoes and transfer to the bowl of a food processor.  Add egg and pulse until smooth.  Stir in baking powder and onion and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then pour batter into 2-3 inch pancakes.  Allow to cook undisturbed until the edges begin to brown and the pancake releases itself from the pan.  Flip and cook until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack hold in a warm oven until ready to plate.

To serve, dress criques with a bit of smoked salmon or applesauce perhaps, or my favorite, crème fraîche and caviar.

Thai Red Curry Mussels

/ Ren

Fresh Pacific blue mussels are steamed with garlic, lemongrass, chilies, basil, cilantro, Thai red curry paste, coconut milk and fresh lime..

Thai Red Curry Mussels

 

Serves 2

1 tablespoon raw coconut oil
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 green chilies, split
1/4 cup fish stock, clam juice or filtered water
1 oz white wine
1 teaspoon nam pla (fish sauce)
1 cup heavy coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 fresh lime, divided
1 pinch unrefined sugar
2 tablespoons Thai basil, chiffonade-cut, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

When buying mussels, select only those that are closed tight (see mussel cleaning instructions) and try to use them within 24 hours.

Heat coconut oil in a heavy skillet over medium low heat.  Add garlic, lemon grass and chilies and steep for 15 minutes without browning.  Increase heat to medium.  As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the curry paste and fry 2 minutes.  Whisk in stock, wine and fish stock and reduce briefly.  Stir in coconut milk, sugar, juice of 1/2 lime, basil and cilantro.  Add mussels, cover and simmer until mussels open wide, about 5 minutes.

To serve, discard any unopened mussels, then arrange in the center of a serving plate.  Discard chilies and lemongrass and pour the remaining sauce over the mussels.  Garnish with fresh basil, cilantro and lime and serve hot.

Ventresca with Green Garlic-Tomato Concassé and Lemon-Caper Mayonnaise

/ Ren

In celebration of the fact that the temperature was in the 60’s today and we’re still getting fresh tomatoes here(!), I decided to toss up a summery plate of Ventresca (sustainably line-caught yellowfin tuna bellies) with green garlic-tomato concassé, lemon-caper mayonnaise, balsamic glaze and a relish of roasted peppers, black olives and fresh herbs..

Ventresca with Green Garlic-Tomato Concassé and Lemon-Caper Mayonnaise

For the Concassé

1-2 bulbs green garlic, including tops, thinly sliced
1 large plum tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil, preferably from the Ventresca tin
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Very slowly soften green garlic in olive oil over low heat, then add tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper and continue to warm until softened.  All to cool in mesh strainer, reserving the oil for the mayonnaise.

For the Mayonnaise

6-8 oz reserved olive oil
1 small pastured egg yolk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon baby capers, mashed
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
saffron threads, soaked

Soak the saffron threads in 1 teaspoon of cold, filtered water for 15 minutes, then whisk together with the lemon juice, egg yolk and salt.  Add the oil in a very thin stream, whisking continuously to form an emulsion.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

For the Relish

2 tablespoon roasted and pickled bell peppers, peeled, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon ripe black olives, pitted and slivered
1 teaspoon fresh chiffonade-cut basil

Toss all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Balsamic Glaze

1/2 cup aceto balsamico tradizionale

Using a double boiler to prevent scorching, reduce unadulterated balsamic vinegar until reduced in volume by about half.  The resulting syrup will thicken as it stands.

To assemble, spoon tomato concassé onto a serving plate, then top with a layer of Vetresca and dress with mayonnaise.  Add a second layer of concassé, tuna and mayonnaise and top with roasted pepper relish.  Dab the plate with balsamic glaze and finish the dish with coarse sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Lobster Bisque

/ Ren

Maine lobster, cream, dry sherry, aromatic herbs and vegetables and shaved black truffles.  A classic..

Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque

Serves 2

2 shell-on Maine or Canadian lobster tails, as fresh as possible
1 1/2 cups court-bouillon or fish stock
4 oz fresh cream
1 oz brandy
2 oz dry sherry
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 fresh lemon, cut into wedges
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 sweet bulb onion, split and thinly-sliced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 Roma tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon half-sharp paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
8-10 smoked black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
butter

Sauté celery, onions, carrots, tomatoes, herbs and lobster shells in a tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender and the shells have turned bright red in color.

Add sherry and brandy and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add court-bouillon, lemon, pepper and paprika, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.

Run a wooden skewer lengthwise through each lobster tail, then lower into the liquid and gently poach for 2 minutes.  Remove lobster from pan and allow to cool enough to handle.

Pour stock through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan, pressing on and discarding the solids.  Whisk in tomato paste and simmer until reduced by about 1/3 in volume.

Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, and cook sweet onions until translucent.  Add chopped parsley, lobster medallions and any remaining pieces of lobster meat and gently poach until the lobster is just done.

Whisk the cream into the bisque, then finish with 2 tablespoons of the onion, butter and parsley mixture.

To serve, ladle bisque into a shallow bowl and arrange butter-drenched lobster medallions and pieces on top. Season lightly with freshly-ground black pepper and Maldon sea salt and garnish with fresh tarragon, thinly-shaved black truffles and bits of edible flowers.

Wild Halibut en Persillade

/ Ren

Thick-cut wild Alaskan halibut with a light coating of homemade coarse mustard and a persillade of chopped parsley and bread crumbs..

Wild Halibut en Persillade

Wild Halibut en Persillade

Serves 2  (adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller)

2 6-oz fillets fresh Wild Alaskan Halibut
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon homemade coarse mustard
1 teaspoon filtered water
pastured butter
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

Trim crusts from bread and pulse in a food processor.  Bake bread crumbs in a 250 degree oven, tossing occasionally until completely dry, about 1 hour.  Toss with finely chopped parsley and set aside.

Rinse fish fillets and pat dry.  Season on both sides with  salt and pepper.  Brush one side of each fillet with a thin coating of thinned mustard, then dip the mustard side of the fish into the bread crumbs, pressing lightly to form an even coating.

Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then place the fillets crumb side down into the pan and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute.

Carefully turn fish over, then place pan into a 350 degree oven just until the fish begins to flake, about 6-8 minutes.

Arrange fish on a plate, then drizzle with a little of the browned butter from the skillet and give it a squeeze of fresh lemon.  Delicious with Nantes Carrot Stew on the side.

kk-rfw-thumb3

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Slow-Roasted Wild Salmon with Genmaicha, Fried Capers and Caramelized Lemon

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan salmon is marinated in genmaicha-infused olive oil before being slow-roasted and served with a pan sauce of caramelized lemons, shallots, garlic, capers, parsley and butter..

Wild Salmon

Slow-Roasted Wild Salmon with Genmaicha 玄米茶, Fried Capers and Caramelized Lemon

For the Salmon

2 wild Alaskan fillets
6 oz extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons genmaicha brown rice tea
1 teaspoon paprika
coarse sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 185 degrees.  Remove pan from heat and stir in genmaicha.  Allow to steep until the oil reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes.  Pour cooled oil over salmon set in a shallow dish and marinate 1 hour.

Remove salmon from oil, drain briefly and place in a heavy skillet (skin side down) and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Roast in a 225 degree oven until it is brilliant red and flakes easily with a fork, about 12 minutes.

For the Sauce (adapted from a recipe by Michael Symon)

2 tablespoons pastured butter, divided
4 thick slices lemon
1 teaspoon capers
1 1/2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

Heat half of the butter in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until the bitter begins to foam.  Add the lemon slices and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 3 minutes.  Flip the lemons over, add the capers and sauté 30 seconds.  Add the shallots and sauté another 30 seconds.  Add the garlic, parsley and the remaining butter and cook until the lemons begin to lose their shape, about 1-2 minutes.

To Serve

Spoon sauce in the center of a plate.  Place roasted salmon on top and garnish with lemon slices.  Serve immediately.

Classic Tuna Melt

/ Ren

Sustainable Pacific albacore, heirloom tomatoes, purple onions, celery, homemade mayonnaise and local pepper-jack cheese on toasted wild-yeast sourdough English muffins..

Classic Tuna Melt

Classic Tuna Melt

For the Tuna Salad

1 5.3 oz can hook-and-line-caught Pacific NW albacore tuna
2 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
1/4 cup thinly-sliced celery
1/4 cup finely-diced purple onion
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
sliced heirloom tomato
fresh chives
salt & pepper
sourdough English muffins
pepper-jack cheese

Split and toast sourdough English muffins. Place slices of pepper-jack cheese on top of the muffins, then add a thick slice of ripe tomato The cheese on the bottom will prevent the tomato from making the sandwich soggy.

Mound tuna salad on top of the tomato and compact into place.  Top with additional cheese slices and bake in a 450 degree oven until the cheese is bubbly.  Top with snipped chives and serve immediately.

Antidote Salad

/ Ren

Today’s post isn’t so much about any particular dish (although this salad was really good) as it is a reminder to myself of why I choose to eat clean, healthy nourishing food.

Earlier today I ate a cheeseburger & fries with the guys at a local joint. While the food tasted OK at the time, I knew I was in trouble less than an hour later when the industrial CAFO burger & potatoes fried in God-knows-what kind of unnatural hydrogenated oil together felt like a greasy, soggy bowling ball in my gut.   Back at work, I resisted the urge to crawl under my desk & sleep it off.

It is readily apparent why America is so sick.

At home this evening, I knew I needed to make up for the nutritionally empty & otherwise damaging lunch, so I gathered up what I could from the garden, pantry and fridge and made this Antidote Dinner Salad..

Antidote Salad

Antidote Salad

Kamut pasta, raw virgin olive oil, raw and pickled peppers, olives, scallions, Lupini beans, avocado, anchovies, fresh basil and oregano, tomatoes, watercress, pea shoots, prosciutto, white balsamic and lots of coarse sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

I swear I felt completely restored almost immediately!

Be a Food Renegade – Fight back against the Standard American Diet (SAD) !


Bookmark and Share

Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes, Sauce Remoulade

/ Ren

Made from homemade mayonnaise, fresh herbs, capers and cornichons, sauce rémoulade is a perfect contrast for spicy, pan-fried salmon cakes..

Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes with Sauce Remoulade

Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes with Sauce Rémoulade

Makes 4 large Salmon Cakes

2 cans wild Alaskan Salmon, drained
2 tablespoons red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons celery, diced
2 tablespoons scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 large pastured eggs
2 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon smoked black pepper, more-or-less
1/2 tablespoon half sharp paprika or cayenne, more-or-less
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 pieces stale sprouted wheat bread, toasted and torn into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter

Warm diced red bell pepper, celery and red onions in a little butter over medium-low until softened, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate.

Lightly toss together salmon, scallions, parsley, eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice and seasonings.  Fold in cooled vegetables and refrigerate 1 hour.

Fold enough toasted bread pieces into the salmon mixture so that you can form patties that are cohesive and moist, but not wet.

Fry salmon cakes in ghee over medium-high heat until browned on 1 side, then flip over and cook 1 minute longer.

Place the pan in a 400 degree until the cakes are sizzling, about 5-7 minutes.

Allow to cakes to rest in the pan for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a serving plate.

Dress each cake with a tablespoon or more of cold rémoulade and optionally garnish with a bit of caviar.

For the Rémoulade

1 cup homemade mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon fresh chives
1/2 tablespoon fresh tarragon
1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon fresh chervil
1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped
2 cornichons, finely diced
1 small anchovy fillet, minced

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet

Salade Nicoise Americaine

/ Ren

While the term SAD very appropriately describes the unhealthy Standard American Diet of nutrient-depleted, heavily-processed foods (so-called), there is abundant goodness to be had for little extra effort or expense.

Here’s a primal, seasonal all-American version of the venerable French Salade Niçoise..

100_3150

Salade Niçoise Américaine

Prepare hard-cooked pastured eggs. Cool and set aside.

Take a thin slice off the North and South poles of a large, ripe heirloom tomato.  Scoop out a little of the flesh from the center and place the tomato in a heavy skillet.  Chop the remaining flesh, tops and bottoms and set aside.

Lightly drizzle the tomato with virgin olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly-cracked pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes to intensify the flavor.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine US Pacific pole-caught albacore tuna in a bowl with plenty of raw olive oil, organic pitted black olives, sliced scallions, diced roasted red peppers and flat-leaf parsley.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Prepare a salad of mixed field greens and herbs and toss with a little white balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

To assemble, place tomato in center of dinner plate and mound over with tuna mixture.  Arrange salad around the perimeter and garnish with quartered eggs and a variety of made-at-home sprouts.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

Pan-Seared Salmon, Fresh Peas and Mustard Beurre Blanc

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan sockeye with smoked pepper, fresh peas with pastured bacon and thyme and coarse mustard beurre blanc..

Pan-Seared Salmon, Fresh Peas and Mustard Beurre Blanc

Pan-Seared Salmon, Fresh Peas and Mustard Beurre Blanc

For the mustard beurre blanc

1/4 cup white vermouth
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 oz fresh cream
1 tablespoon homemade coarse-grain mustard
4 tablespoons pastured butter, cut into small pieces
sea salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Boil vermouth, vinegar, shallots and garlic until liquid is reduced by 1/2, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in fresh cream and homemade mustard, reduce heat and simmer another 5 minutes.

Strain mixture into a clean pan over low heat and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time.  Season with sea salt and cayenne and keep warm until ready to use.

Rinse fresh, wild Alaskan salmon fillets, pat dry and season with sea salt and smoked black pepper.  Set aside.

Blanch fresh peas in salted boiling water until not quite done. Drain and rinse under cold filtered water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Fry pieces of fresh pork belly or uncured bacon until crisp.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat then add blanched peas and fresh thyme.   Cook until peas are fork-tender, perhaps 5 minutes.  Keep warm.

Meanwhile, sear salmon presentation-side down in a little clarified butter or unrefined coconut oil until brilliant orange and slightly crisp on the edges, about 2-3 minutes.

Turn salmon over and place pan in a 400 degree oven until the fish is medium-rare, about 3 minutes depending on thickness.

Spoon peas in a circle around perimeter of plate and spoon beurre blanc into the center of the plate.  Place salmon on top of sauce and dress with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

This post is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival

Bookmark and Share

Salmon Casserole en Croute

/ Ren

Salmon casserole has been a favorite in my family for some years now.  Here’s a simple, frugal version that doesn’t skimp on flavor..

Salmon Casserole en Croûte

Salmon Casserole en Croûte

For 2 servings

1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup fresh cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 oz dry white wine
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon Shichimi Togarashi (optional)
sea salt & freshly-ground pepper

1 can premium quality wild Alaskan salmon

1 cup spelt or quinoa pasta (optional)

1 sheet puff pastry dough
1 egg
1 teaspoon water

Prepare pasta, if using, leaving it very slightly underdone.  Drain and set aside.

To make roux, melt the butter in a non-reactive pan, whisk in flour and cook stirring continuously until the raw flour taste is gone, about 5 minutes.

Heat the cream in another pan until simmering, then whisk in the roux and cook until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.

Reduce heat, add lemon juice, wine and the liquid from the salmon and simmer a few minutes more.

Add tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper and togarishi (if using).  Stir to combine, then remove from heat.

Combine pasta, salmon, celery, chives and cream sauce in a bowl, taking care not to mash up the salmon.

Spoon salmon mixture into a buttered casserole, loosely filling the dish almost to the top.  Pour a little more white sauce over the top of the salmon.

Roll out puff pastry dough to 1/4 inch thickness and 1 inch greater in diameter than the casserole itself.

Brush the outer inch of the dough with some egg beaten with water, then flip it up and over the casserole so that the egg mixture is on the inside, against the sides of the casserole.

Brush the rest of the egg & water over the top of the dough, then cut several vent holes with the tip of a knife.

Bake casserole in a 350 degree oven until the dough has risen and is golden brown in color, about 30 minutes.

Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

The post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet


Bookmark and Share

Crawfish Etouffee

/ Ren

Étouffée is a Cajun/Creole dish of crawfish, crab or shrimp smothered in a roux-thickened sauce of celery, onions and bell peppers with garlic, spices and a little sherry.  In New Orleans, étouffée is commonly served with jasmine or basmati rice..

100_2556-1

Crawfish Étouffée

(recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse and others)

Serves 2

1/2 stick unsalted, pastured butter
1 tablespoon organic, all-purpose flour
1/3 cup chopped yellow onions
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 1/2 cups shrimp stock* (shrimp shells, water, celery, onion, bay, thyme, lemon)
12 oz crawfish tails
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until it begins to brown.  Add flour and whisk to combine.  Continue to cook and stir continuously until the roux takes on a dark, brown-red color.

Add the celery, onions and bell peppers (called the holy trinity of Cajun cooking) and cook for 5 minutes.

Add garlic, green onions, tomatoes, Worcestershire, bay, thyme, cayenne and cracked pepper and stir to combine.

Add shrimp stock (or water), sherry and crawfish tails, bring to a boil then reduce to low heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Add fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley, taste for salt and adjust accordingly.

Serve over rice and garnish with lemon wedges and very finely minced green onion, bell pepper, celery and parsley.  Offer Louisiana hot sauce.


* Mineral-rich shrimp is high in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, Vitamin B12 and niacin.  Use some of the shrimp stock to cook the rice; it helps to make it more digestible.

Bookmark and Share

Crusted Green Curry Salmon

/ Ren

Planked and crusted wild Alaskan salmon with coconut milk, curry and cilantro..

Crusted Salmon with Green Curry

Crusted Salmon with Green Curry

Soak a cedar plank in clean water for at least 2 hours.

Combine 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, 1 teaspoon good curry powder and 1 teaspoon half-sharp paprika in a small bowl.  Coat the fish with this mixture, sprinkle with bread crumbs and set aside.

Pulse together 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, 1 small green chili (optional) and 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice in a food processor.  Add to 1/2 cup coconut milk and simmer, stirring frequently until thickened, about 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Place salmon fillets on soaked plank and cook in a 500 degree oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Serve with a wedge of fresh lime.

Bookmark and Share

Wild Alaskan Halibut Chowder

/ Ren

Spectacular flaky white halibut, Kennebec potatoes, celery, onions, streaky bacon and fresh cream..

103_1978

Cut uncured bacon into 1/4 inch dice and cook in a heavy skillet until crisp and all fat has been rendered.

Meanwhile, dice and blanch 2 Kennebec potatoes in salted boiling water.  Cook until not quite tender, drain and set aside.  Place a thick halibut fillet in a small, heavy skillet, drizzle with olive oil and season with Old Bay.  Cook in a 400 degree oven until it flakes easily but is not quite done, perhaps 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat, lower heat to medium low and add 1 tablespoon pastured butter.  Add minced garlic, sliced green onions and diced celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup clam juice and potatoes, simmer 5 minutes.  Add halibut and fresh cream and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Season to taste with sea salt and cracked pepper and ladle into a bowl or onto a deep dinner plate.  Garnish with fresh parsley and chives.

High in protein and Omega-3, long-line caught wild Alaskan halibut is a sustainable best-choice

Sardine Salad Sandwich

/ Ren

If you’re one of the millions who’ve given up eating canned tuna because of health and environmental concerns, I have a tip for you.  Substitute sardines.  Wild-caught, boneless, skinless sardines are sustainable, have virtually undetectable levels of mercury/PCBs, are loaded with healthy omega-3s, calcium and B vitamins and taste very much like tuna in things like tuna salad or casserole.  Did I mention inexpensive?

103_1891

Sardine Salad Sandwich

 

Sardine Salad Sandwich

Adapted from Simply Recipes

1 tin of Pacific wild-caught sardines, partially drained
2 Tablespoons of homemade mayonnaise
1/4 purple onion, chopped finely
1 celery stalk, chopped finely
1 Tablespoon of capers
Juice of half of a lemon
Pinch or two of dill
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon of homemade mustard

Lightly toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl.  Season with sea salt & freshly ground black pepper.  Serve on sprouted toast with field greens and fresh tomatoes..

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

Thai Green Curry Halibut

/ Ren

Wild Alaskan Halibut simmered in coconut milk with nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom and cloves and fiery homemade green curry paste, cilantro, basil and toasted coconut..

103_1764

Separate 1 large BPA-free can of heavy coconut into milk and cream and set aside.

Cut fresh or fresh-frozen wild Alaskan halibut into 1 inch cubes and refrigerate. You’ll need about 6 ounces per person.

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse soy sauce, fish sauce, dried shrimp, fresh garlic, green chilies, galangal, lime leaves, lemon grass, coriander and cumin seeds with just enough coconut milk to keep the blade from seizing up.  The result should be a thick but soft paste.  Set aside.

Prepare Thai red rice according to package directions.  Keep hot.

Meanwhile, poach the halibut in the remaining coconut milk with nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom and cloves.  We want it a little underdone for now.

Fry the curry paste in hot oil for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.  Reduce heat to low and add the poaching liquid.  Whisk in reserved coconut cream then add the halibut and simmer until the fish is snow white and flakes easily when pressed with a fork.

Make a ring of rice in the center of the plate, then spoon halibut and curry into the middle.  Garnish with toasted coconut flakes, fresh basil and chili oil.

This post is part of the Clean Your Plate Challenge at The Nourished Kitchen


Bookmark and Share

Vote for your favorite Farmers’ Market, America!

/ Ren

No Farms No Food

The message is simple and couldn’t be more clear—America’s farms and ranches provide an unparalleled abundance of fresh, healthy and local food, but they are rapidly disappearing.

Eighty-six percent of America’s fruits and vegetables are grown near metro regions, where they are in the path of development. And every hour we lose 125 acres of farm and ranch land. That’s why supporting local food and farms is more important than ever!

Take action to support healthy farms, healthy farmland, and healthy communities

American Farmland Trust

Orange Ginger Salmon

/ Ren

Orange ginger salmon with black bean garlic udon..

103_1561

Marinate wild Alaskan salmon in ponzu shōyu (citrus-based soy sauce) with slices of soft crystallized ginger and fresh orange pieces and juice for no more than 1 hour.

Preheat a heavy skillet over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, blanch, shock, drain and set aside fresh udon noodles.

In a second skillet, sauté sliced scallion and slivers of red bell pepper in a tablespoon of peanut oil.  Add julienned orange peel, sesame seeds and coriander.  A 2 tablespoons of black bean garlic sauce and stir to combine.

Lightly oil then sear the salmon skin side up until rare, then turn and spoon marinade over the top and allow to bubble until medium rare, about 2-3 minutes.

Toss reserved noodles in black bean sauce and use as a bed to place the salmon on.  Dust with shichimi tōgarashi (ground red chili pepper with nori and hemp).

Rainbow Trout

/ Ren

A densely nutritious, healing meal of panko and almond-crusted fresh Idaho rainbow trout, sautéed in coconut oil with scallions, coconut flakes and wild dulse, with gingered forbidden rice and bunapi mushrooms..

101_1416

Prepare forbidden rice using a ratio of about 1 cup rice to 1 3/4 cup filtered water and/or vegetable stock.  Add a teaspoon of raw coconut butter and another of fresh minced ginger at the end.  Cover and keep warm.

Rinse, trim and pat dry fresh rainbow trout fillets.  Coat in a mixture of crushed almonds, parsley and panko crumbs and sauté in  coconut oil over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, sauté bunapi-shimeji mushrooms, coconut flakes, scallions and rinsed dulse until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.  Season to taste with black sea salt and Szechuan pepper.

Dulse is high in protein and contains all of the trace elements needed by humans.

To serve, dress salmon with vegetables and sriracha accompanied with rice and mushrooms.

Thai Red Curry Cod with Mango Sticky Rice

/ Ren

101_0500

Sauté Thai red curry paste (chilies, shallots, galangal, fish sauce, herbs and spices) in oil until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add coconut milk, fresh kaffir lime leaves, basil, scallions and red bell peppers and reduce to a simmer.

Add Alaskan cod filet and poach (turning once) until opaque, about 10-15 minutes depending on thickness.

Meanwhile, prepare jasmine rice with lemon grass and mango purée.

To serve, ladle curry onto plate or shallow bowl, add rice and place cod on top.  Garnish with a dollop of coconut cream, lime leaves, basil and red pepper.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

“Politics of the Plate”

/ Ren

As it was last year, the commercial salmon fishery south of the Canadian border will be closed in 2009. The cause is not over-fishing, but the failure of young salmon to survive long enough to leave their natal streams and enter the ocean.

Barry Estabrook, Gourmet Magazine

Sarah Palin and Alaskan salmon

“At the very least, there was something fishy about Alaska Governor (and Vice Presidential hopeful) Sarah Palin’s decision to speak out publicly against the state’s Clean Water Initiative late last month. There may also be something blatantly illegal about her advocacy for defeating the ballot initiative, which ultimately failed to pass when 57 percent of Alaskans voted against it.

A bit of background. The Clean Water Initiative (aka Ballot Measure 4) was put in place to restrict the amount of arsenic and other toxic pollutants that new, large-scale mines could dump into the state’s waterways. Its stated goal was to protect human health and safeguard salmon that use the rivers and streams to spawn. More specifically, it was aimed at a massive gold and copper operation called Pebble Mine located directly upstream of Bristol Bay, site of one of the world’s largest and most sustainable wild salmon fisheries, which produced 31 million pounds of king, sockeye, and chum salmon in 2007.

read more

Seafood Bisque

/ Ren

My Cagefree Family called from the Georgia coast this afternoon to ask if the shrimp coming in off the local boats is safe for babies and mamas (it is), which of course made me think about dinner.  I didn’t have any fresh shrimp, but I did have a bit of Alaskan salmon, cod and crab..

Make a stock of filtered water, celery, onions, bay leaf, white peppercorns, lemon slices, thyme and white wine.

Put filets of salmon and cod (or whatever sort of fish you have) into a wire basket and place that in the simmering stock to poach until just barely done.  Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, strain and reduce the poaching liquid until flavorful, about 30 minutes.

Finely chop fennel bulb, celery, leeks, carrots, tomatoes and garlic.  Sauté in whole butter until softened, about 3 minutes.

Mince the cooled fish, reserving some larger pieces for garnish.

Whisk tomato paste and cream into stock.  Thicken with a little roux.  Add cooked vegetables and poached fish and simmer 15 minutes.  Add sherry, saffron, paprika, S&P and dill.   You may purée the soup with an immersion blender or leave it coarse according to your preference.

At this point, I’m sure you’re asking yourself where’s the HFCS?  It’s just not a meal without the natural goodness of High Fructose Corn Syrup! Resist, I tell you.

To serve, ladle soup into a bowl, drizzle with sherry and hot sauce (optional) and garnish with reserved fish, seasoned croutons and fennel.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Slow-cooked Salmon

/ Ren

“Low and slow is the ticket to the most tender, succulent and true-to-flavor food”  –Jaden Hair

101_0370

“Fish is the most frequently faked food Americans buy. In the business, it’s called “species adulteration” — selling a cheaper fish such as pen-raised Atlantic salmon as wild Alaska salmon.  When Consumer Reports tested 23 supposedly wild-caught salmon fillets bought nationwide in 2005-2006, only 10 were wild salmon. The rest were farmed.”

Melt-in-your-mouth good, worth using the last of that REAL wild Alaskan sockeye you’ve been saving..

Make a bed of vegetables- I’m using napa cabbage and leeks seasoned with S&P and sesame seeds.  Let some of the vegetables peek out from under the fish so that you get a crunchy/soft textural contrast.

Place skinless salmon on top and season according to taste.  I brined mine for 1/2 hour beforehand to help keep it moist, and then seasoned it with red chilies, black pepper, garlic and onions.  Spritz with a little olive oil and put into a 250 degree oven for 25 minutes (depending on thickness).  Notice how little the salmon’s appearance has changed after slow-cooking!  I’ve garnished with lemon and lavender, but almost any citrus/herb combo would work.

Those are Parisienne potatoes sautéed in rendered duck fat with sage and garlic, by the way.  Worthy of their own post one of these days.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Gravlax

/ Ren

Gravlax is a Scandinavian dish consisting of raw salmon cured in salt, sugar, and dill.

During the Middle Ages, gravlax was made by fishermen who salted the salmon and lightly fermented it by burying it in the sand above the high-tide line. The word gravlax comes from the Scandinavian word grav, which means literally “grave” or “hole in the ground”, and lax (or laks), which means “salmon”, thus gravlax is “salmon dug into the ground”.

If smoked salmon is more to your liking, we cover that here.

Make a mixture of sea salt, non-refined sugar, dill and pepper (optional).  I use a salt to sugar ratio of about 3:1, but you can adjust this to your taste (don’t worry, there will be very little salt or sugar in the finished product).

Thoroughly pack salmon filets with the salt mixture and either bury it in the salt bowl or double bag it as I have done here. Refrigerate for at least 2 days, checking occasionally to see if additional salt mixture is needed.

Once cured, rinse the salmon in lots of cold fresh water, pat dry and slice very thin.  Serve as an appetizer garnished with crème fraîche and caviar, or in scrambled eggs.

101_0352

101_0356

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Gulf Crab Cakes w/Orange Habanero Mayonnaise

/ Ren

Although some restaurants in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland and Virginia may not disclose it, most whole blue crabs sold there are shipped in from North Carolina, Louisiana, Florida and Texas.  Lucky me!

Cilantro, fresh lump crab, bell pepper, saltines, seasoning blend containing sea salt, mustard seed, celery seed, garlic, onion, chili pepper and black pepper, mayonnaise (or make your own), scallions, celery and an egg.

Lightly sauté celery, scallions and bell pepper and set aside to cool.

Toss together crab, cooled vegetables, herbs and seasonings, mayonnaise, a beaten egg and crushed saltines. Mixture should be moist but hold together when shaped.

Form mixture into patties about 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick then place in freezer for 15 minutes to firm. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 1/4 inch of peanut oil in the bottom of a small, heavy skillet.

Lightly coat the crab cakes with additional crushed saltines then sauté until light golden brown on bottom. Turn cakes over and finish in oven (about 8-10 minutes).

Finely mince 1/2 of a seeded and ribbed habanero and combine with 1/4 cup of mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of orange juice.  Add a few drops of honey if its too hot for you.

Serve crab cakes with a salad of broccoli microgreens, slivered radishes and orange sections.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Seared Ahi w/Sushi yo Shoga, Lemon Wasabi and Sweet Rice

/ Ren

Few things in life are as simple and delicious as seared ahi. One of my all-time favorites.

Marinate fresh ahi tuna in a mixture of ginger, soy with citrus, shiro miso, sesame oil and garlic for one hour in the refrigerator.  Because we will be serving this nearly raw, it is important that you choose only the finest, freshest (sashimi grade) tuna.  Due to sustainability concerns, please source your tuna from somewhere other than the Mediterranean Sea.

Remove tuna from refrigerator and coat the perimeter with a combination of black and white sesame seeds, loose toasted tea and cracked pepper.  Set aside.

Prepare sweet rice according to package directions.

Heat stir-fry or another high-heat oil in a heavy skillet until very hot.  Sear tuna 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, then transfer to cutting board to rest for a few moments.

Add thinly-sliced scallions and a little mirin to rice; fluff with a fork.

Serve 1/4 inch slices of tuna over sweet rice accompanied by sushi yo shoga (sliced pickled ginger) and lemon wasabi.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Tell Supermarkets, No More Fishy Business!

/ Ren

You can help save the oceans every time you go grocery shopping. Consumers buy half their seafood at supermarkets, yet most supermarkets don’t consider where the seafood they sell comes from or how it was caught. Destructive fishing practices and overfishing are two of the gravest threats facing our oceans, and experts predict if current trends continue, global fisheries will collapse in 50 40 years.

Take action – Flex your power as a consumer. Tell the largest U.S. supermarket retailers to adopt sustainable seafood policies, stop selling destructively fished seafood, and provide informative labeling so customers, like us, can choose the most sustainable seafood and avoid the most imperiled fish. Don’t delay, ocean protection starts with all of us.

screenshot

Tuna Salad

/ Ren

Chopped egg, cucumber, scallions, pickled ginger, shaved fennel, black and white sesame seeds, spinach, lemon wasabi, sashimi-grade ahi, sesame oil and shoyu.

Toss the salad ingredients together and moisten with a little brown rice vinegar.  Season lightly with salt and pepper. Briefly marinate the tuna in shoyu with a little sesame oil while the skillet heats.

Sear the tuna over medium-high heat for two minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board and allow to rest 5 minutes.

Plate the salad and top with sliced tuna. Dress with wasabi and a scant amount of the marinade.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Pasta with Sea Conch and White Clam Sauce

/ Ren

A variation of the classic Linguine with White Clam Sauce.  Tasted much better than it looks in the pictures, by the way; seems I need to acquire some camera skills along with a decent camera.  Ah, well..

Sea conch, Pacific clams, S&P, white wine, my home-dried Italian herb blend, red chili flakes, red bell pepper, scallions, garlic, celery, butter, half & half and long pasta.

Drain the conch and clams over a sauce pan and set aside.  Add white wine, S&P and half & half to the liquor and and bring to simmer.  Continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, mince the seafood and chop the vegetables.

Cook the vegetables and seafood in a little butter and olive oil until “relaxed” in texture but not colored, about 10 minutes. Add herbs and pepper flakes.

Add the white sauce and simmer gently until thick, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and combine with other ingredients.

Serve with bruschetta and a spinach salad, if you like.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Salmon Croûte, Brussels Sprouts in Cream and Wild Rice with Mushrooms and White Truffle Oil

/ Ren

Dried oyster, trumpet and morchella mushrooms, shallot, wild rice, (real) white truffle oil, Brussels sprouts, heavy cream, butter, whole nutmeg, black sea salt, white peppercorns, wild Alaskan salmon and a blend of dried onion, garlic, carrot, red pepper, tomato, orange peel, parsley, bay, thyme, basil, celery, lemon peel, oregano, savory, mustard seed, cumin, marjoram, coriander, cayenne and rosemary.

Rinse and begin cooking the wild rice according to package directions.

Moisten a salmon filet with olive oil and season with the spice blend, sea salt and white pepper. Place fish onto an oiled skillet, wrap in a sheet of water-soaked red cedar paper and tie with kitchen string.

About 20 minutes before the rice is done, brown the trimmed and split Brussels sprouts in a little butter until browned.  Add heavy cream and simmer partially covered until almost tender, about 10 minutes.

While the vegetables are simmering, saute minced shallot and sliced mushrooms in butter and truffle oil, stirring frequently until just done, about 3-5 minutes.  Set aside.

Place the salmon in a 350 degree oven and cook about 10-12 minutes.

Uncover the vegetables and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Add the mushrooms and shallots to the rice and fluff with a fork.

Assemble the plate, topping the Brussels sprouts with seasoned, toasted bread crumbs.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Thai Curry Shrimp with Ginger Jasmine Rice

/ Ren

Fresh ginger, shallot, garlic, peppers, cilantro, lemon grass, coconut milk, Thai spices*, coconut oil, jasmine rice, fresh jumbo shrimp and unsweetened flaked coconut.  Not shown; red curry paste**

Substitute coconut milk for 1/2 of the water called for in the instructions for the rice.  In that mixture, steep freshly grated ginger, lemon grass and spices for 15 minutes.

Saute the shallot and garlic in coconut oil until colored. Add peeled & deveined shrimp, spices and peppers and continue to saute until shrimp is just under done.  Add curry paste, coconut milk and cilantro. Stir to combine, then simmer on low until thickenend, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the rice in the coconut milk and water mixture until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Serve topped with toasted coconut and additional cilantro.

* corriander, red pepper, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, garlic, black pepper, basil, cardamom and cloves

** dried red chili, garlic, lemon grass, salt, galangal, shrimp paste, kaffir lime peel and pepper

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Salmon Casserole (favorite)

/ Ren

High quality, wild pink salmon, whole milk, butter, french roll, lemon, salt & pepper, asiago cheese, celery, roasted red peppers, pasta, fresh dill and white wine.

Cook pasta according to package instructions, leaving slightly under done. Rinse, drain and set aside. Simmer milk well seasoned with salt, pepper and white wine until reduced to the consistency of cream.  Add dill and remove from heat.

Drain and flake the salmon and add the vegetables, lemon zest with a little juice, 2/3 of the bread crumbs and cheese and fold in the white sauce.

Turn mixture into a buttered casserole, top with the remaining bread crumbs, cheese and a little smoked paprika and bake at 350 until the sides are bubbly and the topping is nicely browned, about 30 minutes.  Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ –

Seared Halibut, Grilled Green Beans and Fried Mushrooms

/ Ren

Fresh Alaskan Halibut, organic green beans and dried exotic mushrooms

Marinate the beans in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Make bread crumbs to top the fish.  I’m using a leftover wheat bun pulsed with a little dried parsley.

Rehydrate the mushrooms in hot water with a tablespoon or so of soy sauce. Prepare two plates of seasoned rice flour, beat the egg with a little water.

Dress the fish with olive oil, fresh ginger, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Sear the fish in a heavy skillet until nicely colored on both sides, top with bread crumbs and put the pan into a hot oven to finish.

While the fish is cooking, start the mushrooms.  Dust in flour, dip into egg wash and then back into the flour.  Drop into hot oil.  Get those beans going- they should cook until they begin to brown and shrivel a bit.

Drain the mushrooms on a brown paper bag then assemble the plate.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Green Tea-Crusted Cod with Buckwheat Tabouli

/ Ren

Green Tea-Crusted Cod with buckwheat tabouli

Rinse hulled buckwheat and cook according to package directions. Allow to chill in refrigerator for an hour, then combine with olive oil, garlic, mint, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, green onion, lemon juice, toasted hemp seed nuts and sea salt.

Lightly coat cod with rice flour seasoned with toasted green tea, sea salt and pepper. Pan fry over medium heat in a little oil and butter, turning once (approximately 4 min/side depending on thickness).

Remove fish from pan and deglaze with white wine. Add lemon juice and parsley and reduce for a minute or so. Finish with pat of cold butter and spoon over the fish.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Panko and Hemp Crusted Cod

/ Ren

Alaskan Cod with skin and bones removed, wild rice, exotic mushrooms, mustard seed, caraway seed, green beans and panko crumbs with black sesame seeds, hemp seeds, basil, chili powder, cilantro, and coriander.

Rinse rice and cook according to package instructions. About 15 minutes before the rice is ready, put the fish into a 400 degree oven, then sautee the mushrooms and add to the rice, cover and set aside.

Cook the beans in the same skillet, adding some butter and the just-ground mustard and caraway seeds. When slightly browned and tender, de-glaze the pan with a little lemon or orange juice.

Home smoked salmon (favorite)

/ Ren

For dry cured salmon, see our discussion on gravlax

I love smoked salmon.  I don’t love paying $20 per pound for it.  What say we try smoking our own?

This is a stove top smoker. I have lined the bottom with aluminum foil, upon which I have spread out a mixture of alder and cherry wood chips.

Next comes the drip pan, rack and the object of our affection, a beautiful piece of wild Alaskan sockeye with a pinch of Old Bay Seasoning.

Turn the burner to medium and slide the cover most of the way shut. As soon as you see the first wisp of smoke, close the lid all the way.

About 10 minutes later, the salmon is ready.  I wish you were here to smell this!

Smoked salmon, English muffin & Neufchatel

/ Ren

Its the middle of the week in a still-too-hot Texas September. I really don’t feel like cooking tonight, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to eat!

Here’s a lighter interpretation of a brunch classic ..

Toasted English muffin spread with neufchatel and topped with slivered onions, piles of applewood smoked salmon and fresh tomatoes, seasoned with sea salt, freshly gound pepper and a pinch of herbs de provence.

All the flavor of a bagel-and-a-shmear from the deli, at half the cost (and half the calories). Yum.