For those of you not coming to the party….
Thursday August 27th
Whole Food’s and The Aquarium of the Pacific Present Sustainable Seafood
Seared Albacore Tuna with Fennel and Arugula
Serves 4 people
Sustainability-Pacific Coast Albacore is a well managed, ecologically friends fishery. Fish stocks are healthy, there is minimal by catch, and they’re in no habitat damage. Unlike other tuna species, Albacore do not swim with dolphins, thus making all albacore dolphin safe.
Flavor and Cooking- Troll-caught albacore’s firm texture and mild flavor lends itself to a variety of cooking methods and preparations. Albacore is best-cooked medium rare (about 130 F). Albacore is a great fish to eat with a light salad or sliced fresh on a sandwich. Substitute fresh or frozen albacore in recipes calling for fish or chicken. Use poached or leftover cooked albacore in place of canned tuna
Healthfulness-Albacore provides a whopping 25 grams of protein per 3 1/2 ounce serving, which is fully half of adult daily protein requirement! It is also a widely recognized that albacore are an excellent source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Ingredients
4- 6 oz. Albacore Tuna Steaks
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tble ground fennel seed
salt and pepper to dust
2 fennel bulbs sliced thin
4 cups fresh arugula
3 tble extra virgin olive oil
1 tble sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 pint organic cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup white wine
Instructions:
1. For the vinaigrette: Whisk together the olive oil, sherry vinegar, fresh thyme, and Dijon mustard. Prior to serving the tuna, toss the arugula and tomatoes with ¾ of the vinaigrette and place on the center of each plate.
2. Place a large sauté pan on the stove over medium high heat. Add the oil and wait until it is about to smoke. It will begin to shimmer. It is essential that the pan gets hot enough in order to create a nice caramelized exterior on the tuna. This is the flavor.
3. While the pan is heating, place the Tuna on a sheet pan, pat dry with a paper towel, and season on both sides with the ground fennel, salt, and fresh pepper. When the pan is hot place two pieces of tuna in the pan, making sure not to overcrowd the pan (if it is a very large sauté pan add all four pieces, but be sure to leave sufficient space between the tuna steaks as this will allow the pan to retain heat.) Sear the tuna on both sides for about 2 minutes.
4. Once the tuna is seared on both sides, remove from the pan, place on a plate, and add the sliced fennel and sauté for about 4 minutes, or until slightly limp. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine and reduce until it is almost dry.
5. Place the tuna back in the pan and re-warm with the fennel. Serve by putting one tuna slice on each mound of dressed arugula. To finish, drizzle the tuna with the remaining vinaigrette and top each piece with the sautéed fennel.
Gently Cooked Pacific Halibut
Serves 4 people
Sustainability- The pacific halibut fishery is a model of sustainability. Originally over fished into the late 60’s, halibut stocks rebounded after the creation of the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Pacific halibut fisherman recently helped develop and now use bird-scaring lines when deploying their hooks, to prevent seabirds from becoming tangled in their lines. Atlantic Halibut on the other hand has been fished to commercial extinction and there is no rebuilding plan currently in place.
Flavor and Cooking-Halibut is mild flavored and high in natural fats which allows for a moist fish even if slightly overcooked. Halibut is an incredibly versatile fish which allows for it to be grilled, baked, roasted, poached, or even cured for ceviche. Halibut is relatively sweet and holds up well to sharp flavors, making it a fun fish to prepare in many applications.
Healthfulness- Halibut are truly a nutrient-dense food. A very good source of high quality protein, halibut are rich in significant amounts of a variety of important nutrients including the minerals selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium; the B vitamins B12, niacin, and B6; and perhaps most important, the beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids
About this recipe- Because Halibut is so lean, it needs to be cooked gently. And adding a little fat to the dish is never a bad idea. Halibut is great roasted at a low temperature rubbed in olive oil in order to retain all of its moisture. The longer and slower you roast the fish, the more moisture it will retain.
Ingredients:
4 each 6 oz fillets of pacific halibut
2 tble extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs of fresh tarragon
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 pint- Whole Foods Tomato Bruschetta
Instructions:
Heat oven to 275 F
1. Rub each filet of halibut with ½ table of olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Top each filet with one spring of whole fresh tarragon. Place the fish in the oven
2. Bake at 275 F for 25 minutes. Immediately top the halibut with the tomato bruschetta mixture as the halibut is removed from eh oven. Serve over roasted potatoes or a light salad.
Vanilla Dusted Sea Scallops
Serves 4
Sustainability: The sea scallop fishery, while once closed in many places due to excess bycatch issues, has made great improvements and strides toward sustainability. Currently the number of boats allowed to fish is limited, and each is required to carry a vessel-monitoring device and an onboard observer to ensure that all regulations are followed. Gear has been lightened to mitigate bottom damage and escape routes for fish have been enlarged. Sea scallop populations are healthy and management is excellent.
Healthfulness: Sea Scallops contain very little cholesterol; in actuality they contain cholesterol like plant-based sterols that actually interfere with the uptake of cholesterol. Scallops are a heart healthy low-fat source of protein.
Flavor and Cooking: There is nothing worse than a rubber steamed scallop. When prepared properly large sea scallops should offer a crispy exterior with heightened sweetness surrounding barley cooked fresh inside. The vanilla in this recipe works wonders with the sweet richness of a fresh sea scallop while the tartness of the pear cuts through that richness balancing the palette,
Ingredients
16 large sea scallops
2 tble grapeseed oil
2 tble vanilla powder (found in the spice section)
2 pears large diced
1 Lemon
mache for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Be sure that your pan heats up long enough to bring the oil to a shimmer, the point right before it begins to smoke. Do not overcrowd the pan wither because this will create steam and therefore alter the browning process. Most likely the scallops will need to be cooked in batches. The thing to keep in mind is to undercook the scallop a touch if it is part of an earlier batch as it will continue to cook off the heat.
While the pan is heating, season the scallops with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Right as the oil is a bout to smoke, place the scallops in the pan and cook about 1 minute on each side making sure to allow a crust to form on the outside. Right before removing the scallops from the pan, dust the tops of the scallops with the vanilla powder and continue cooking for about 10 seconds.
Remove the scallops from the pan and place on a plate. Gently cover the scallops with a paper towel to keep them warm. Place the pan back over the heat and add the diced pears. Sauté the apples for 2 minutes and place the scallops back into the pan with the pears. Deglaze the scallop apple mixture with the fresh lemon juice and immediately remove the pan from the heat.
Serve immediately over a pile of seasoned fresh mache.
Sautéed Oysters w/ Sweet Tomato Relish
Serves 4
Sustainability: Most oysters available these days are farmed. Unlike some types of aquaculture, oyster farming requires pristinely clean waters and a deep understanding of tides, water temperature, and other factors that affect the oyster bed’s health, meaning there is almost no way to farm oysters irresponsibly.
Oysters are filter feeders. They don’t require the manufacture of food or the harvest of other sea creatures to feed them, eliminating the possibility of contaminated feed that exists in some aquaculture operations. Also, unlike salmon and other carnivorous fish farming operations, raising oysters does not result in a wasteful net loss of protein. Because oysters are filter feeders, they actually clean the water, encouraging more light and the resultant growth of ocean greenery and increase in oxygen levels. Not only do oysters clean the water, but the oyster farmers must act as protectors of the environment in which they farm, or they would be out of business
Healthfulness: Oysters contaon incredibly high amounts of vitamins D and B12. They are nature’s most concentrated package of zinc. Oysters contain very high levels of omega 3’sm which improve the blood lipid profile by lowering triglycerides and raising HDL or good cholesterol.
Flavor and Cooking: Many people don’t like raw oysters, however, when cooked and seasoned properly, they can take on an entirely new identity. This recipe is fun to present and easy to prepare. The combination of sweet tomatoes, shallots, vinegar and live oil complement the rich salinity of the oysters.
Shucking Oysters: Place the oyster, cup side down and flat side up on a dish towel. Fold the towel over the round end of the oyster, leaving only ht narrow hinged end exposed. Hold the oyster in place with the heel of your left hand making sure the towel is protecting your hand in case the knife slips. Insert the tip of an oyster knife into the hinge; push twist and pry until the shell releases.
Ingredients:
24 oysters
For the Relish:
1 pint of sweet organic grape tomatoes cut into quarters
1 tble fresh basil
2 tble extra virgin olive oil
2 tble parmesan cheese
1 tble shallot finely minced
1 tble sherry vinegar
Instructions: Shuck the oysters and place the meat in a bowl. Scrub the oyster shells and gently roast in the oven for about 5 minutes dry and remove and excess bacteria. While the shells are in the oven, heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add a tble of olive oil. Add the oysters and gently sauté for 2 minutes. Place each oyster back into its shell finish with a dollop of the room temperature tomato relish.
Dungeness Crab Salad w/ Apple and Avocado
Serves 4
Sustainability: The pacific coast Dungeness crab fishery is considered one of the most sustainable crab fishery in the world. Crabs are caught in environmentally friendly traps and are managed by size season and sex. Only male crabs are harvested: females are returned to the sea to reproduce for years to come. Most crab fisheries are dependent on traps that allow for the release of bycatch, undersized crabs, and females. Crab traps are constructed so as to minimize so-called “ghost fishing” when lost (Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been lost by fishermen. These nets are left to drift the oceans of Earth entangling sea life and causing varying degrees of damage throughout Earth’s oceanic ecosystem).
Healthfulness: Crab contains very little fat and provides essential omega 3 fatty acids which are believed to be linked to good heart health.
Flavor and Cooking: The sweet and succulent flavor of Dungeness crab is best simply prepared. The success in this recipe relies on the balance of flavors between the richness of the avocado and the tartness of the apples, the sweet flavor of the crab and a touch of fresh lemon juice to cut accentuate these refined flavors. This salad can be served on a crispy baguette, served over mixed lettuces or eaten alone.
Ingredients:
2 pints of Fresh Dungeness Crab
2 granny smith apples diced fine
2 ripe avocado sliced
1 tble fresh chopped parsley
2 tble mayonaisse
1 t fresh lemon juice
1 t Dijon mustard
Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste
Mixed Organic Greens (optional)
Combine all the ingredients and serve immediately.
See, this is why I would never donate money to Aquarium of the Pacific. They want you to respect fish, but they also want you to eat them. What’s the purpose of donating money for exhibits when people are going to eat the exhbits?
By respect, do you mean liberal use of lemon and butter? Seriously, we get that issue a lot from people who are a little confused by the concept of a public aquarium supporting seafood. The answer is simply that the mission of any aquarium is to help people understand the importance of our natural resources. We don’t actually eat the fish that are on exhibit, but each exhibit is there to impress upon you the fact that fish are a living marine resource.
The most important thing i think when preparing a meal is to make sure you have excellent equipment. It’s well worth spending a bit more to have decent suacepans and knives.
The most important thing i think when cooking is to make sure you have reputable pans. It’s well worth spending a bit more to have decent suacepans and knives.