Mediterranean-Style Olive Oil-Poached Grouper
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
Gulf Snapper on the Half Shell
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).
Crispy, Oven-Fried Cod with Homemade Tartare
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.
P.E.I. Mussels with Roasted Tomatoes, Green Garlic and Preserved Lemon
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.
“Politics of the Plate”
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.
“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.
Tell Supermarkets, No More Fishy Business!
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.
