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.
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Google]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[MySpace]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Newsvine]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/newsvine.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Twitter]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://www.alaskaharvest.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
