Canned Alaskan pink salmon, with its high protein content and beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids, is a key component of a number of international food aid programs sponsored by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). The initiative began in 2005, and has grown considerably, as demand continues to outstretch supply. The long shelf life and nutritional content make the fish an ideal food for supporting needy food banks in a number of countries and communities where hunger is a problem, including within the United States.
A variety of projects, including disaster relief and child care programs in places as diverse as Cambodia, Jamaica, Guatemala, Bolivia, and Swaziland, have benefited from canned Alaskan salmon. School lunch programs in the U.S. have also used the resource to positive effect.
Canned salmon is an especially good choice for children, as the protein and beneficial fats in the fish are easily metabolized by people of all ages.
This preparation can be used on a number of different fish types, as long as the meat is dense enough to stand up to grilling, and the flesh has enough oil to retain part of its own flavor.
1. Mix together all the ingredients after the salmon and pour into a shallow, non-reactive dish (like a glass casserole).
2. Marinate the fish for an hour or longer, turning it occasionally and scooping sauce over the top.
3. Grill over medium high heat until the salmon is just cooked through, but not dry. Serve immediately.
If you want the same tang but would rather pan-fry the fish, allow the fillet to drip-dry after marinating, then lightly dust with flour and pepper before tossing it into a hot skillet with olive oil and a small amount of butter. Cook on both sides until golden brown (but not longer than 10 minutes total per inch of thickness of fish).
There’s nothing quite like mahi mahi for grilling: the flavor and texture are robust enough to stand up to bold marinades, but delicate enough to stay sweet and tender. With warmer weather on its way, it’s time to start thinking about barbecuing again! This can be prepared in minutes, and then set aside in the fridge for an hour or more while you throw together a salad and steam some rice; if you’re using a charcoal grill, the marinating time is the perfect amount for you to fire up the flames and let them settle to coals.
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and finely chopped
2 T minced fresh ginger
1/4 thinly sliced green onion
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 T olive oil
1. Rinse the fish, and place it in a single layer in a glass dish or other non-reactive pan.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, and then pour the mixture over the fish. Making sure the steaks are well-coated on all sides, cover the dish and let it marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or more.
3. Place the fillets on an oiled grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning pieces one and basting frequently with the marinade. Serve immediately.
The saffron lends an exotic warmth to this rich scallop dish. Serve the remaining wine with the meal, along with steamed spinach and almonds.
You will need:
• 20 large sea scallops
• 4 T butter
• saffron threads
• 4 T sparkling white wine
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• ½ lemon
• salt and pepper
1. Toast the saffron threads in a dry skillet to bring out their flavor. Take care not to let them burn - just heat them until they become fragrant, then remove them from the pan and set them aside.
2. Melt half the butter in the same skillet, and then saute the scallops in batches until they are cooked through and lightly browned on each side. Overcooking makes scallops rubbery or dry, so be sure to test one in the batch. Remove them from the skillet and keep them cozy on a warmed plate while you prepare the sauce.
3. Add the saffron to the juices in the pan, along with the wine and cream, and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for around ten minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.
4. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Return the scallops to the pan and reheat gentle. Serve immediately.
This is possibly the simplest fish dish I’ve ever prepared, but my husband used the word “outstanding” not once, but twice during the meal, so something must have gone very right. This was a last-minute inspiration based on desire to balance our love for the tangy zing of Thai chili sauce with the delicate taste of halibut, all the while keeping preparation to a minimum and moisture in the fish to a max.
lime juice (I keep a bottle of it on hand; I use it in great quantities and love adding it to soda water for spritzers alongside meals like this one)
Thai sweet chili sauce
cayenne pepper
salt
olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 375. Rinse the fish and dust it with salt. Place the fillet in a glass baking dish and drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil over the top, then roll it in the pan a few times to coat.
2. In a small bowl, combine the mayo and chili sauce and beat with a fork. The result should be pink. Add lime juice and stir until the sauce becomes the consistency of salad dressing. Season liberally with cayenne and a little salt. Taste and adjust lime and chili sauce to taste.
3. Spoon the sauce over the fish and turn the fillet so that it is coated on all sides. Heap extra sauce on top, reserving some in the bowl.
4. Bake at 375 until the halibut is opaque through and flakes easily. Add more sauce to the top halfway through the process, to replace any that has melted down the sides. The sauce should form a soft golden crust by the time the fish is cooked through.
5. Serve with lime wedges and rice. Save any pan drippings to drizzle over the rice on the side. Outstanding!
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.
The original recipe I found for this called for fresh ahi tuna - always a favorite; for something a little different, go the route I did: try wild albacore instead. I was able to buy a whole loin - solid meat, no waste - and have leftovers. This preparation is simple and quick, and looks beautiful on the plate. I have found a few similar versions online - this one comes from my own kitchen, and has the fewest steps and ingredients, although the sauce might take a little longer…got 5 minutes?
You will need:
1 fresh albacore tuna loin
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
sesame oil
salt
And for the sauce:
sesame oil
soy sauce
rice wine vinegar
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
4 or 5 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled, and finely chopped
crushed, dried red chilies
1. Rinse the tuna loin under cold running water, and then set it out on a plate to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk together equal parts soy, vinegar, and sesame oil to make the sauce. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilies and taste. Adjust seasonings or proportions accordingly. Pour the sauce into some lovely serving bowl you’re dying to show off, and set it on the table - it’s ready to go.
2. Slice the tuna into inch-thick medallions, cutting perpendicular to the length of the loin. Shake a liberal dusting of salt over the fish; turn each piece over and repeat.
3. Combine the sesame seeds in a bowl and mix them together with your hands. Then, dredge each tuna medallion in the seeds so that it is entirely coated on every side.
4. Heat a heavy splash of sesame oil in a skillet to medium high, and sear the tuna medallions, turning them once and taking care not to knock off the sesame crust. Cook only a couple of minutes - tuna should be warmed through but not cooked all the way; test one piece by cutting it in half - the color change should stop toward the center. Blot each piece dry on paper towels.
5. Serve immediately with the sauce either drizzled over the top or on the side.
We had ours with buttery wasabi mashed potatoes and blanched bok choy sauteed with black vinegar, soy sauce and salt.
Besides the kitchen anxiety that cooking fish seems to induce in unpracticed home chefs, some people also avoid making it at home because of the common misconception that eating seafood is an expensive culinary habit: a luxury food reserved for restaurant dining. While some elaborate preparations are best left to the experts - take sushi, for example - most households can benefit from keeping a short list of quick seafood preparations on hand in their kitchen repertoires, and an eye on specials at the market. Eating fish can be a healthful, simple, and inexpensive way to feed even a family - even with picky eaters in the house.
A few tips:
Like most things, buy it when it’s cheap, and buy a lot of it. This goes for frozen fish, in particular - once it’s been thawed, it should be cooked right away, but bulk frozen seafood can keep for a very long time, and it thaws much more quickly than red meat or poultry. If you’re buying fresh, make a lot of whatever you prepare, and then use leftovers in creative ways: most fish dishes transition easily into stews, croquettes, or even salad-sandwiches.
Pay attention to your local market or online provider - seafood sales are way down right now, due to the depressed economy. Many fishmongers have frequent or surprisingly low-priced specials. A recent food blog even recommended buying up lobster at $10 a pound and throwing a party for your friends - it’s cheaper than a burger at nearly any local joint!
Simple preparations are usually best. Think: dredged in flour and pan-fried with herbs and olive oil; seared in a heavy skillet then covered in broth and poached in the oven; or marinated in oil, soy, garlic, chilies, and brown sugar, and tossed on an open grill - tastes amazing, even in winter.
With finances the way they are, most of us are doing more than a little budgeting. With some planning ahead and a few extra minutes in the grocery store or kitchen, you can save a lot of money and provide your family with all the health benefits of a diet rich in seafood.
When it comes to seafood, often simplest is best - quick and easy cooking techniques ensure that fish retains its natural flavor and keeps it from becoming overcooked or dry. Pan sauté any thin fillet – halibut, swordfish, tuna, salmon, sole, tilapia – or even lobster meat or scallops, and serve drizzled in piccata, a classic Italian sauce that shows off the succulence of fish oils and balances them with sea-salty brine.With just a couple of ingredients that you can keep on hand at all times, you can have a light and yet robustly-flavored meal ready in a matter of minutes.
handful of flour (this can be omitted for gluten-free diets), poured onto a plate
olive oil
3 T butter
4-5 shallots, minced
½ lemon, thinly sliced
¼ cup white wine or dry vermouth
1-2 T capers
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1.Heat a little olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet over high heat.Rinse the fish in cold running water, dust each side with salt and pepper, and dredge the fillets in the flour.
2.When the oil is hot, gently place two of the fillets in the skillet, sautéing until golden and then turning them over and browning on both sides.Remove from heat and keep warm in the oven while you cook the second two fillets the same way.
3.Pour the used oil and any bits from the skillet and return it to the heat.Add 1 tablespoon of butter and allow it to melt.Add the shallots and 4 or 5 lemon slices, sautéing until the shallots turn golden and translucent.Pour in the wine or vermouth, and stir briskly with a wooden spoon or small whisk.Remove the lemon slices, and place them over the fish fillets.
4.Add the rest of the butter to the pan, along with the capers.Let the sauce thicken, and add salt and pepper to taste.
5.Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve immediately with crusty bread to mop up leftover sauce.A crisp green salad and orzo cooked with chilies and saffron make nice accompaniments.
Ivory King salmon is a delicacy of the Pacific Northwest – milder than the reddish varieties and rich in Omega-3s, it has the appearance of halibut and the flavor of wild Chinook (king) salmon.Once tossed aside as defective, this delicious fish has recently taken its rightful place at the head of the table, and is one of the most sought-after of fine seafoods.While no one knows for sure why the flesh is paler than common varieties, some speculate that the Ivory Kings produce an extra enzyme that allows their systems to metabolize carotenoids, the nutrients responsible for the ruddy color in most salmon.
Ivory king fillets
Chanterelles
This recipe was originally developed by Chef Kevin Davis of the Oceanaire Seafood Room.It uses chanterelle mushrooms, another hard-to-find, seasonal wonder of Northwest cuisine.It’s well worth the hunt to find them; however, if price or timing makes chanterelles out of the question, any combination of rich woodland mushrooms can work: porcini and shiitake are good options.
fresh Thyme, chopped – reserve some sprigs for garnish
2 small shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
3 T butter
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt and pepper
more lemons for garnish
1.Preheat grill to medium-low.Rinse steaks under cold water, pat dry, and then brush them with olive oil.Dust them liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, and place them on the grill.Cook to desired doneness, flipping once.Do not overcook – timing will depend upon thickness of the steaks.Salmon should be cooked through but not dry.
2.While the fish is grilling, heat a generous splash of olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat.Add the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper.Allow the mushrooms to cook slowly, without much stirring – they should begin to caramelize.Turn the mushrooms and brown on both sides.Then, strain off the liquid, reserving it in a bowl, and set the mushrooms aside.
3.Return the pan to the heat and add 1 T of butter; once it melts, add the shallots and garlic and sautee.Add the thyme, then remove from heat and deglaze the pan with the white wine.
4.Return the pan to the heat and allow the wine to reduce by half.Add the stock and allow the liquids to reduce again, to sauce consistency.
5.Add the mushrooms to the pan, along with the mushroom juices and the remainder of the butter, and finish with lemon juice and zest.Swirl well and be sure the chanterelles are well coated with the sauce.Taste and adjust the seasonings.
6.Place the salmon on a large serving platter or plate them individually. Divide the mushroom ragout between the filets and cover the fish with the mixture.Garnish with lemons and thyme and serve.
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