Tag: sustainable seafood

Morimoto’s Black Cod

Morimoto's Black Cod

Morimoto’s Black Cod
Gindara Nitsuke

Nitsuke is a Japanese technique of simmering food, especially fish, in a combination of soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. Gindara is the Japanese name for Black Cod or Sablefish.

Chef Morimoto says, “Simmered doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? It certainly doesn’t entice like the words charred or broiled do. Well, simmering in the Japanese way should get you salivating, because it produces some of my favorite dishes of all. The secret is creating a cooking liquid that highlights the flavor of the main ingredient and strikes the right balance between sweet and salty.”

Morimoto’s Black Cod Recipe

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Monkfish Cargot (Escargots-Style)

Monkfish Cargot (Escargots-Style)Monkfish Cargot (Escargots-Style)

A delightful dinner at Michael Mina’s Bardot Brasserie in the Aria Las Vegas served as the inspiration for this dish. But alas, with no snails on hand, I decided to try a monkfish version of Escargots de Bourgogne instead.

Et voilà, it exceeded our expectations!

The flesh of monkfish is dense, meaty, and succulent, with a sweet flavor. It has a firm texture that holds up well to baking at high heat in garlic butter, making it a perfect substitute for snails in this escargots-style recipe.

Monkfish Cargot (Escargots-Style)

Monkfish, also known as lotte in French cuisine, is a unique-looking fish found in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean. It’s known for its rather unattractive appearance, with a large, flat head, tapering body, and a wide mouth filled with sharp teeth.

Despite its unappealing looks, monkfish is prized for its delicious, firm flesh, often compared to lobster or scallops in taste and texture. It’s also a sustainable seafood choice, as monkfish populations are relatively abundant and well-managed.

Bardot Brasserie Las Vegas

Bardot Brasserie

ESCARGOTclassically prepared, absinthe butter, garlic, baguette
BARDOT BRASSERIE ESCARGOTS
classically prepared, absinthe butter, garlic, baguette

As we also took some food to go, I was able to bring home a paper baguette bag too, to use in my photographs.

Monkfish Cargot Recipe

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Rockfish Tostadas (fresh, local, sustainable fish)

Rockfish Tostadas

Panko Crusted Pacific Rockfish Tostadas
with
Corn Tortillas, Avocado, Shredded Cabbage, Chile, Radish
Mexican Onion, Cilantro, Baja White Sauce, Lime

Rockfish are a wonderful clean-tasting fish with a firm texture and nice flakes when cooked. This fish stands up to many methods of cooking, but it is especially great when coated with panko breadcrumbs and sautéed to get that golden brown crispy crust with a steaming hot inside that is mild and flaky and muy delicioso.

Over 70 members of the rockfish family populate the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Mexico with many species caught right here off the coast of California.

Pacific rockfish are sustainable and affordable at around $10 per pound compared to halibut at over $25 per pound!

Rockfish Tostadas Recipe

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Halibut Sinigang (Filipino Tamarind Soup)

Halibut Sinigang (Filipino Tamarind Soup)

Halibut Sinigang (Filipino Tamarind Soup)

Sinigang, a sour and savory Filipino Tamarind Soup can be made with a variety of ingredients from fish to meat, seafood, or poultry. It always includes tamarind for that signature sour flavor, various local vegetables, and often contains chili peppers.

We’re thrilled that Los Angeles Harbor College’s Culinary Arts program is participating in the upcoming Sustainable Seafood Expo again. This year they are serving samples of this lovely Sustainable Halibut Sinigang.

The Sustainable Seafood Expo will be held on Sunday, October 1st. It is the culmination of a year-round promotion of the sustainability movement by the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.

The Expo provides great opportunities to sample new seafood options and see professional chefs turn sustainable seafood into fabulous dishes. Marine experts will be on hand to explain fisheries, habitats, and species management. Cooking demonstrations and panel discussions run throughout the event.

Halibut caught by hook-and-line off the California coast is a sustainable choice, however halibut caught off the U.S. Atlantic coast is to be avoided because the stock is depleted. When it comes to sustainability, the species matters, but it is equally important to know how and where the fish was caught.

Since 2006, Los Angeles Harbor College’s Culinary Arts program has offered highly comprehensive classroom and practical instruction delivered by experienced industry professionals. Their full-production model is unique among other culinary programs because it provides students with the opportunity to develop their skills in a real-time environment. Once completing the program, students are prepared to meet the challenges of their new culinary careers.

Los Angeles Harbor College Halibut Sinigang Recipe

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Ahi Poke and Sustainable Seafood

Ahi Poke and Seared Ahi

Hawaiian Ahi Poke and Seared Ahi

As food photographer for the upcoming 4th Annual Sustainable Seafood Expo, I had the opportunity to meet Shane Yoshimoto of Ali’i Fish Company and photograph (and taste!) his fabulous Hawaiian ahi dishes.

We are so excited for the upcoming grand-opening of Ali’i Fish in downtown Los Angeles where always-fresh Hawaiian seafood is expertly prepared to let the pristine nature of the fish shine through.

Quality, taste, sustainability, and authenticity are all hallmarks of Ali’i seafood. Raw fish has the potential to cause foodborne illness, so the sourcing, handling, and processing are of utmost importance to them.

Recently, the classic Hawaiian raw fish dish “poke” has exploded in popularity here on the mainland. Unfortunately, much of the raw tuna is imported and many foreign fishing fleets are not held to the same standards as U.S. fleets. To make a more healthful choice and to support sustainability, be sure to check the source of the tuna you choose to eat.

Shane says, “Ali’i Fish Company was founded with the idea of serving high quality, authentic poke and seafood dishes. Many of our ingredients are flown directly from Hawaii and our fish is always fresh and never frozen or treated with carbon monoxide gas.  We believe in sourcing from sustainable fisheries such as Hawaii and supporting US product when made available.  With over 40 years of combined seafood experience in Hawaii, not one aspect of our process goes unnoticed.”

Their Sesame Onion Ahi Poke will be served at the Sustainable Seafood Expo on October 1st. I’m very grateful to Shane for sharing his superb recipe here on Taste With The Eyes.

Sustainable Seafood

According to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch yellowfin tuna caught in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) with handlines is a “Best Choice.” Yellowfin stocks are depleted everywhere except in the WCPO. Handlines have very low bycatch, and no species of concern are caught by this fishery.

Yellowfin and bigeye tuna caught in Hawaii’s Eastern Central Pacific Ocean (ECPO) with deep-set longlines is a “Good Alternative.” Hawaiian fleets have lower bycatch than international longline fisheries because of tougher U.S. regulations.

Ali’i Fish Co. Ahi Poke Recipe

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