Consumer consciousness has come a long way from the days when “organic” meant a small, grumpy apple with worm spots or impossible-to-find specialty grains sold in bins at the rear of health food stores. The Green movement, increased education about health and agricultural practices, and the undeniable boost of becoming chic have all helped to elevate the demand for organic goods - and not just in the produce aisle. Dairy goods, grains, wines, meat products, clothing, even paper products and inks can carry the “organic” label, certified by dubiously rigorous state- and third-party organizations. This year, over $23 billion worth of organic goods were sold in the U.S. alone.
However, the USDA, the Organic Trade Association, and a variety of environmental and fishery groups are struggling to reach an agreement on how organic certification can be extended to include seafood. With meats, poultry, and dairy products, the primary issue is what the animals themselves eat: is the feed organically grown and processed, or not? Because wild fish, arguably the most healthful and, in a sense, “cleanest” varieties of seafood available on the market, eat wild food in wild waters, they cannot be said to be “organic” in the same way that free-range chickens on organic-feed diets lay “organic” eggs.
Farmed fish, on the other hand, which live in close-quartered pens or tanks, have mushier flesh due to a lack of wild-water exercise, and are usually genetically similar to one another (and therefore more susceptible to disease), do not find food on their own. Rather, they are fed by their “farmers,” and so, in some cases, could potentially be called “organic” according to the conditions set as precedent by other meat industries. This would hold true for vegetarian fish only, of course, such as tilapia or catfish. Carnivorous fish, like salmon, couldn’t be categorized as “organic” under these rules unless the fish they ate had in turn been farmed and fed organic feed.
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has recently issued a recommendation claiming that certain feeds and net pens be included under the definition of organic foods. This decision was lauded by fish farmers eager to capitalize on the public demand for organic products, but has been severely criticized by fisheries, consumer activists, and environmental groups looking to support wild fisheries and maintain the purity of the organic label. Other issues include leniency in the recommendations regarding the percentage of organic matter included in the feeds - other industries are required to use 100% organic feed materials, while this would not necessarily apply to the fish standards. While no official decision has yet been made on the issue, the USDA is taking it under consideration; finalizing the standards could take a few more years.
This is a gorgeous, healthful take on a preparation originally intended for sirloin steak. Fresh or frozen tuna fillets have the density and meaty flavor to make this really outstanding, although flaked salmon could be used in a pinch, with a slightly different, more casual presentation. This is a filling, robust stand-alone meal, and perfect for low-carb diets, although it makes for a substantial starter, as well, before creamier dishes like risotto or gnocchi.
a head of nice lettuce: either red leaf, romaine, or butter lettuce - this can be jazzed up with the addition of arugula or mache to nice effect
3-4 medium beets, peeled, quartered, and sliced
thyme
chili powder
olive oil
salt and pepper
capers
olives - kalamata or nicoise
1/2 yellow or white sweet onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
a large chunk of good quality bleu cheese; roquefort or stilton will work
For the dressing:
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon - I prefer the unusual flavor of meyer lemons for this recipe, although any juicy old lemon will do
balsamic vinegar
4-5 cloves fresh garlic, peeled, smashed, and minced
fresh or dried thyme
a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 425. Toss the beets with some olive oil, salt, thyme, and chili powder in a cast-iron skillet or roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and let the beets roast, checking occasionally and turning them to ensure even cooking.
2. Mix up the dressing. Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and let the flavors meld.
3. Rinse the fish under cold running water, season liberally with salt, and place on a plate. Grind black pepper over the top - enough to cover the entire fillet, then flip it over and do the same for the other side. Press the pepper into the surface of the fillet. Repeat for both pieces of fish.
4. Heat some olive oil in a heavy skillet and sear the tuna. Watch the sides of the fish to see how far the heat has penetrated - you don’t want it to cook all the way through. A few minutes on a side should be plenty. When the fish is cooked, remove it from heat and let it stand a few minutes to cool. Then, carefully slice the fillets into thin pieces, cutting with the grain.
5. Add the slices of fish to the bowl of dressing and toss so that all the pieces are well coated. Let sit to marinate as you prepare the salads.
6. Rinse the lettuce and drain it well, drying it on paper towels or using a salad spinner. Tear or chop into bite-sized pieces and arrange on large salad plates. Place the onions, capers, and olives into the salad, tucking pieces under bits of lettuce and otherwise distributing everything evenly and attractively.
7. Once the beets are roasted, spread them out on a plate and stick it in the freezer or fridge to cool quickly. When the beets are cooled, add them to the salad plates in the same fashion, arranging the ingredients.
8. Finally, add the tuna to the plates. Some people like to curl a few pieces into a rosette for the top, or arrange slices in a circular fan pattern. Others like to loop the tuna in and out of the lettuce as if it were stitching the whole salad together.
9. Crumble the bleu cheese all over the salads, and then finish by drizzling the remaining dressing over the top of everything.
Serve with crusty bread and a bottle of wine, or rice crackers and pomegranate-tonic spritzers with lime.
The chemical melamine has been found in an increasing number of products imported to the United States from China, including milk products, baby formula, and pet foods. Melamine, primarily used in the production of certain plastics, glues, and flame retardants, has been found to cause kidney problems, eye, skin, or respiratory irritation, and reproductive damage, and is carcinogenic with prolonged exposure.
A recent report suggests that melamine may have been used to “bulk up” certain farmed fish foods, increasing the likelihood that the toxins will be passed on to human consumers. Unlike cattle or pigs, who metabolize the chemical after eating it, melamine residues are found in the flesh of fish who have consumed it, and thus may pass the toxicity on to humans.
Chinese fish exports include certain frozen shrimp, tilapia, catfish, salmon, and other seafood products. While the FDA has not yet made an official statement regarding the potential for contamination, consumers are cautioned to take care when purchasing frozen fish of unknown or Chinese origin. While many fish importers willingly test for melamine in their products, this testing is not yet required by the FDA.
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