You might not know it from the weather, but spring is on its way, and along with the frenzied cleaning of apartments and homes, shaking out of rugs, and stowing of wool sweaters, soon we’ll be lightening up our meals, as well, and trading in the earthy, warm dishes that comfort us in the winter months for cool, fresh tastes from new gardens. This preparation, from Real Simple magazine, is full of clean and bright spring flavors, and is excellent both warm from the oven, or at room temperature as a satisfying lunch. This serves four.
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large roasting pan (I use a cast-iron skillet), toss the fennel, lemons, and garlic in a tablespoon of oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper, and then roast in the oven until the fennel begins to soften, around 8 - 10 minutes.
2. Rinse the fillets under cold running water, and pat dry with a paper towel. Dust them with salt and pepper and then nestle them into the fennel. Return the pan to the oven and roast the salmon until it is opaque all the way through but not dry, between 12-15 minutes.
3. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins into a small bowl and mash them to a paste. Squeeze out the lemon pulp, removing any seeds, and add the pulp and juice to the bowl with the garlic. Stir in the honey, rosemary, remaining oil, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
4. Arrange the greens on serving plates, and place the salmon and fennel on the greens. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
Recommended pairings: soft sourdough rolls or ciabatta, pomegranate spritzers, Sauvignon Blanc, black sesame crackers, sharp dry cheese.
This is a wonderfully tasty dish that can be made a day ahead, if necessary. If you don’t have shrimp on hand, good quality lump crab meat could work, as well. It comes from a beautiful book on Indian cooking by Ruta Kahate, 5 Spices, 50 Dishes. They go great with a number of different dipping sauces. You will need:
2-3 cups canola oil, divided
1/2 yellow onion, minced
3 small green serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 t cayenne
1/2 t ground turmeric
1 small sweet potato, peeled, cut into pieces, and boiled until tender (leftover mashed potatoes can be used in a pinch)
1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat, and lightly saute the onions, chiles, and ginger until the onion is golden. Be careful not to add too much oil - the small amount helps the cakes hold together. Add the cilantro, cayenne, and turmeric and saute another minute and then set aside to cool.
2. Mash the sweet potato.
3. Coarsely chop the shrimp and combine with the potato, onion mixture, egg, and a little salt. Make a very tiny patty and saute it in a small skillet to test the seasonings. Adjust salt or other seasonings to taste if necessary.
4. Wet your palms before forming the patties to prevent sticking. Divide the mixture into 12 balls, then flatten them into discs. They will be roughly 1 1/2 inch in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Pat the cakes in bread crumbs, coating them well on all sides. The cakes will be loose in texture - this is a good thing. It ensures they will be moist and tender.
5. Heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the cakes in a medium skillet. When the oil begins to shimmer, gently place in one layer of cakes. Do not crowd. Cook 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, then flip and repeat on the other side. Remove the cakes to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat for the remaining cakes. Serve immediately.
Note: These may be formed and refrigerated a day in advance, layered on wax paper and covered with plastic wrap. Fry directly before serving.
Great cooks don’t just have an enormous mental catalogue of different tasty recipes; they have a solid knowledge of basic preparations: grilling, sauteing, broiling, poaching, baking - each of which can be applied to a number of different foods, from seafood to vegetables, meats to soy. They then create variations through sauces, poaching liquids, and other flavorful add-ins to produce a full spectrum of creative and delicious dishes.
Here are three basic sauces from Hawaii that go great with any number of easy seafood preparations. With fresh or high-quality frozen seafood, simplest is often the best. Try grilling salmon, halibut, or skewered shrimp and serve drizzled with one of the following.
SWEET THAI-CHILE HONEY SAUCE
1/4 C sweet Thai chile sauce (Mae Ploy)
1/4 C honey
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger and/or roasted garlic
1/4 C canola oil
Blend all but canola till smooth, and then add oil slowly with blender on low to emulsify.
SPICY SOY MIRIN SAUCE
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1 t minced fresh ginger
1/2 t red chile flakes
1/2 t toasted sesame seeds
Bring all to a boil. Simmer 5 min. Chill until ready to serve.
LEMON OIL
1/2 C canola oil
2 T lemon zest
1 T sugar
1 t red chile flakes
1 T minced fresh lemon grass
Warm all ingredients over medium heat till zest begins to bubble - 5 minutes or so. Do not let it boil. Cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain and refrigerate till needed. Bring to room temperature before serving.
The Alaskan pollock fishery has been a symbol of sustainable fishing practices since its original certification through the Marine Stewardship Council in 2005. The fishery includes operations within the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and Aleutian Islands, which account for the entirety of the Alaskan pollock industry.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international, nonprofit, third-party organization that evaluates fisheries based upon best practices, environmental impact, and sustainability. Their mission is to provide consumers with an unbiased assessment index to give them the opportunity to make informed and responsible choices about seafood purchases. It also creates a standard for fisheries to aim for in their organization and practices.
Certification with the MSC lasts for five years. The Alaska pollock fishery is officially certified for one more year, and so is currently engaged in a recertification process. Assessors are looking not only at harvest levels versus biological catch, but also issues such as bycatch (unintended or unwanted fish destroyed in the harvesting process) and impact on the marine ecosystem where fishing takes place.
The Alaskan pollock fishery is, to date, one of the most progressively managed in the world. Pollock is commonly used in processed fish foods, resulting in everything from fish sticks to fake crab.
As of January 2, 2009, the Scottish government has declared the presence of a second Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) outbreak among farmed fish populations. The virus manifests itself as severe anemia, darkening of the liver, and internal hemorrhaging, and results in very high mortality rates. While the disease is not transmissable nor dangerous to humans, the outbreaks can cause a major shift in fish production from that area, as entire populations must be destroyed in order to avoid further spread or contamination of other fish, according to Scottish Law and the Diseases of Fish Act of 1937.
Scotland’s Fisheries Research Services are currently engaged in investigating and controlling the outbreaks through a number of measures, including taking samples and performing laboratory analyses from different stocks, and restricting the movement of live and dead fish to and from infected areas.
Consumers should be aware of the disease, as it may result in shifts in fish supplies and result in increased prices for farmed Atlantic salmon. Wild Pacific salmon is safe from the disease, and those wild stocks remain unaffected.
Still basking in a warm glow from Valentine’s Day? If you’d like to recreate some of that candlelit magic at home, here are 5 of our favorite seafood dishes for two. Whether you want a quick appetizer before heading out on the town, or an elaborate preparation to show someone how much you care, here are some tasty suggestions:
This is an interesting halibut recipe that delights both the taste buds and the eyes. The creative use of both citrus and pistachios complement the delicate flavor of the fish and make for a complex mixture of textures and colors.
This salmon dish is as simple as the halibut dish is involved. The glaze adds a bright tang to the richness of the fish, and it can be prepared in less than half an hour, leaving you with plenty of time to change clothes and light the candles. Try substituting an outdoor grill for the broiler for a romantic picnic in warm weather.
Risottos are sensuous, creamy, and rich - perfect for sharing with a loved one. Try serving both portions on one large dish and sitting close together; it’s the grown-up version of an ice cream float with two straws. This preparation pairs lobster with brandy and chevre for an elegant meal.
Forget the mushy, waterlogged shrimp you get at buffets or parties: thawed, prepeeled, and tasteless. Real shrimp cocktail uses prawns that you cook yourself. It only takes a few minutes, and the result is a gorgeous appetizer for two - eaten with the fingers, of course - yours or theirs.
This is my favorite at-home romantic seafood recipe of the moment: the bright flavors and gorgeous presentation pair nicely with a bottle of wine and are sure to spark conversation of travel or holidays abroad. Plus, tuna is a versatile and forgiving seafood for cooks who are nervous about cooking fish, and is hearty enough to please the most dedicated red meat eater.
Feel free to post links to your own favorite romantic seafood recipes; we’d love to hear them!
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