Good Fish_ Sustainable Seafood Recipes From the Pacific Coast - Becky Selengut [3]
This cookbook celebrates seafood from up and down the western coast of the United States: seafood that is well managed, and fished or farmed in such a way as to protect the environment. In this book you will find recipes for seafood that is low in mercury and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), seafood that is healthful and absolutely delicious. I hope that the good management of these excellent choices and the hard work of those who educate us about making wise purchasing decisions will help keep all of these species around for a very long time.
There is a story evolving here, and the plot hinges on the health of our oceans and the sustainability of our fish. You, the consumer, are the protagonist. The most important thing you can do is ask questions. With each type of seafood I cover, I pose questions you might ask your fishmongers in order to be sure you are purchasing seafood that is healthy for you and your family as well as for our oceans. If you are satisfied with the answers, support those fishmongers. Tell your friends about them. Encourage them to continue doing the right thing by giving them your business.
Forgive me the double negative, but this book isn’t about what you shouldn’t do. It’s a celebration of what you can do. Eat these fish with joy, share these recipes with your favorite people, and know that you are actively doing your part to ensure that seafood survives—and perhaps someday soon, thrives again.
how to use this book
This book is divided into sections based on three broad categories of seafood: shellfish (clams, mussels, oysters, Dungeness crab, shrimp, and scallops), finfish (salmon, halibut, black cod, trout, albacore tuna, and arctic char), and little-fish and eggs (sardines, squid, and caviar).
My goal is to help you feel comfortable and confident purchasing these fifteen types of sustainable seafood from your local fishmonger, fisherman, or seafood counter. Look for the following information at the beginning of each chapter:
WHAT MAKES THIS A GOOD CHOICE: Before asking you to wield your very influential buying power, I want to make sure I’ve given you the most current information about why I’ve included these particular species.
BY ANY OTHER NAME: Seafood naming can be very confusing: one person’s black cod is another person’s sablefish. This is the section where I list all the names you might see for the type of seafood you are purchasing. Keep in mind that the best way to identify a fish is to ask what the exact species is, which is why I have included Latin names.
SEASON: Just like produce, most types of seafood have a season; it is worth knowing so you can get the freshest quality at the right time of year. That said, well-handled frozen seafood can often be of equal or better quality than fresh. For more information, see Fresh Versus Frozen on page xxvii.
BUYING TIPS: Here is where you’ll find out all the things chefs do to scope out freshness and quality in seafood.
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU PULL OUT YOUR WALLET: There is only so much you can see with your eyes, smell with your nose, and touch with your fingertips (before getting caught). To get all the information you want, you should have a conversation with your fishmonger or fisherman. This is a great way to find out how much or how little the person selling the seafood knows about the product. This is also the time to inquire about its origin—there is a big difference between domestic farmed shrimp and imported shrimp, for example. The more you know, the easier it will be to decide if this is the seafood you want to purchase.
CARING FOR YOUR GOOD FISH: After