Hey, everybody! Welcome to mid-February!
It’s a short month but not short on things to celebrate: Black History month, Groundhog's Day, Valentines, Random Acts of Kindness Day and Presidents Day, and Mardi Gras and the Lunar New Year. It’s also the start of Lent, where meat may not be on the menu on Fridays and, in case you don’t know, we welcome the astrological sign of Pisces on the 19th, symbolized by two fish.
So, seafood’s on the menu. There’s so much good food from the sea. And lakes. And Rivers.
You may hate the smell or texture, had some bad experiences with poorly prepared seafood or saw a whole fish with its head and tail intact, and it grossed you out. Or you’re allergic and can’t partake.
But it’s good-for-you-food, and, like produce, is seasonal. Though most fish is available frozen year-round, they have a peak season.
Shellfish at their peak in winter include oysters, mussels, clams, scallops and lobster. Winter’s cold water and air temperature help keep them fresh, maintaining good quality.
Crawfish are peaking now; scallops from December through March. And it is true that oysters are at their best in months with the letter “R” in their names: September through April. I recently had coal-roasted oysters with parmesan breadcrumbs and pickled Fresno’s. They were divine.
I’m a huge fan of crab—I haven’t met one that I don’t love. There’s lots of varieties, but Dungeness, King, and Snow are at their peak.
Shrimp, of course, is the most consumed shellfish in the U.S., with 90% of them imported and frozen. I prefer my shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. Some people don’t care where their shrimp is from, I know, but Gulf shrimp is superior in flavor, color, and texture.
Are you okay with fin fish, but shy away from shellfish? Salmon is the most popular one in the U.S. As Tom Harte reminds us, their life cycle is timed precisely and completed against amazing odds. We consume mostly Pacific salmon—Pink, King, and Sockeye, which is wild-caught from Alaska and Canada—because commercial fishing for wild-Atlantic salmon is prohibited.
The Friday fish dinner that you will have is likely Cod, which peaks in late winter, or Alaska Pollock, which is harvested mid-January through late March.
Or the beloved southern staple, catfish. It is the 6th most popular fish, and the largest U.S. aquaculture industry. It is dominated by the Chanel catfish which makes up more than 90% of the farm-raised species. I’ve had catfish numerous ways, but never better than fried with coleslaw and hushpuppies.
It would take another show to discuss all the recipes that are possible, but let’s get you started.
Shrimp scampi is simple and yummy. Louisiana style barbeque shrimp is the Fat Tuesday meal. Crab cakes and smoked trout dip are easy to make from scratch. Fish on the grill adds an amazing dimension of flavor. You can turn salmon into anything you want— pick any type of cuisine and ingredients and salmon will represent well. Or level up with cioppino, mussels in white wine sauce, or tuna in soy and chili oil. It will be amazing!
If you’re celebrating the Lunar New Year, where fish is an essential symbolic dish, or a birthday for the Pisces in your life, add some seafood to the mix. February’s name comes from the Latin word februum, meaning purification.
Seafood seems like a good start to that.
