It’s that month again, the one where we all try to return to the gym for the first time in ages, restrict our diets according to the latest trend, try meditation and positive affirmations, and probably even give up alcohol. I’m trying something a little less painful—eat more vegetables and seafood, especially the kinds with healthful fats, like mackerel.
The greatest hindrance to achieving my new year’s objective is our distance from the ocean and the fragile nature of good quality seafood. Most seafood, especially the kind with high concentrations of healthful oils, just doesn’t travel well unless it is preserved in some way, like salting, drying, canning, or freezing. Working in a restaurant, I have better access to the good stuff than most people, but that doesn’t help my fellow Midwesterners.
Which brings us to frozen seafood (see In Your Pantry below) and a recent find at a local Asian market—Korean salted frozen mackerel. Mackerel is a delicious fish high in all the good fats we’re supposed to eat more of. The salted version is a very popular dish in Korea and is most commonly served as a side dish accompanying rice and an assortment of vegetable preparations. Unlike salt cod (aka baccala), which is very heavily salted and dried for long-term storage, Korean mackerel is only lightly salted. The salting and natural high oil content of the mackerel aid in its successful freezing. Note that if you are watching your salt intake, you can soak the fish in water in the fridge for a few hours to remove some of the salt. In Korea, the traditional method of preparation is a simple pan fry with a light dusting of flour or cornstarch. Grilling is a delicious alternative (my favorite for flavor), just watch out for flare ups over open flame due to the high fat content in the fish.
As for eating more vegetables, Kansas City is a wonderful location for finding great produce—just not always during the winter. At this time of year, root vegetables, especially colorful ones, are a good choice, and nuts and nut oils are good sources of healthy fats. And for winter salads, I find fruits like apples, pears, persimmons, and pomegranates great additions that add pleasing textures and freshness that can be elusive in winter produce. Feel free to make substitutions in the following dish. And regardless of your choice of seafood, cooking method, and produce selections, I encourage you to join me in making delicious decisions for your 2024 resolutions.
Seared Korean Mackerel with Roasted Carrots, Persimmons, and Tahini Dressing
Thaw the fish—it doesn’t have to be completely thawed. Most seafood is glazed with the thinnest coating of ice to help prevent freezer burn. So for thin filets like those of mackerel, rinsing the frozen fish under running water will remove this coating, which will help with caramelization and prevent spattering in the skillet. Dry the fish with a paper towel and season with a little black pepper (no salt needed with salted fish) and set it on a plate while you deal with the carrots.
For a hungry adult, I would prepare about three carrots per person (sweet potatoes could be substituted here). Peel them, then toss them in a skillet or roasting pan with salt, pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil. Put the pan in a 400oF oven for about 15 minutes. Stir the carrots, and if you like things a little spicy add a sliced Fresno or other spicy pepper to the carrots, stir again, and return the pan to the oven. Cook 10 minutes more, possibly a bit longer—I love it when the carrots get some tasty, smoky char and crispy bits which add depth of flavor. For the persimmons, I would suggest the squat round Fuyu variety, firm ripe, about one half per person, peeled or not depending on your preference. Cut into ¼-inch thick slices. Keep an eye on the carrots—depending on your speed (and level of distraction) in the kitchen, they may already be done.
Next make the tahini dressing: In a mini food processor, place a clove of garlic (2 if you love that fiery garlic heat), a ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, and pulse to make a paste. Add ½ cup tahini, the juice of two lemons, and ¼ cup water. Process on high to make a smooth and creamy paste. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. (Toasted almonds, a dash of water, and a bit more olive oil would be a delicious alternative to using the tahini.)
Begin heating a skillet and prepare to assemble the dish. Add a few tablespoons of avocado oil (healthful and stable at high temperatures) to the skillet, lightly dust the mackerel filets with flour, and carefully place them skin-side down in the hot skillet. Cook for about 4 minutes on the skin side—it should be browned and crispy—then turn the fish over and cook 2-3 minutes on the flesh side until it has a pleasant caramelized color. You should be able to assemble the plates while the fish cooks: place a big dollop of the dressing on each plate and spread it around a bit. Top the dressing with the roasted carrots and pepper, slices of persimmon, a few final drips of dressing, a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and/or toasted almond slivers (for more crunch), and a few leaves of mint. Remove the fish from the skillet, placing one piece next to the salad on each plate.
Normally I would suggest a nice wine at this point, but since you’re probably not drinking this month, how about a little green tea kombucha. Take a moment to be grateful for the delicious, healthful meal you’re about to enjoy. And maybe afterwards you can go to the gym…
In Your Pantry: Frozen Seafood
Claims like “we have our fish flown in daily,” especially in grocery stores, are essentially meaningless unless someone shows you a tag with a harvest date that is at most two days past. Most seafood caught at sea can spend several weeks on ice (hopefully after being processed at sea) before the boat returns to shore. The exceptions are “dayboats” where a boat goes out in the morning, catches fish, and returns to shore the same day and the fish is immediately for sale locally or purchased and shipped, arriving at its destination hopefully the next day. In this part of the world, restaurants can purchase “dayboat” seafood (still a day or two out of the water), but you as a consumer probably can’t. There are exceptions, but they are few and always shockingly expensive. Here are some good choices for frozen seafood and how best to use it.
The Usual Suspects
Some of the most readily available frozen fish include cod, tilapia, sole, and recently, branzino. Most seafood is glazed with a thin coating of ice before it is packaged (the coating helps prevent freezer burn), which needs to be rinsed or thawed off before cooking. Thin fish like those listed don’t really need to be fully thawed before cooking, and actually tend to be more moist when cooked from a partially frozen state. Also, look for filets that are individually vacuum sealed—they are much less likely to deteriorate in the freezer. if you’re trying for a sear when cooking, make sure the filets are dry on the outside. All these fish respond well to a simple coating of cornmeal and a Southern-style pan fry. Another tasty technique is to place any of these fish atop cooked potatoes or thinly sliced tomatoes and onions, then roast covered in seasoned breadcrumbs with a good drizzle of olive oil, until the fish is flaky and the crumbs are crispy.
Asian Market Finds
Asian markets tend to have a much wider variety of frozen seafood than the average grocery store. Some good fish that are easy to prepare include croaker (lots of different sizes good for many applications—just go online), Korean mackerel, and tuna. Japanese products tend to be of particularly high quality but expect to pay for it. Go with an open mind and have your phone ready to research all of the interesting and unfamiliar seafood options available.
Shrimp
Shrimp are the most consumed seafood in America, and for good reason. When treated with respect, they have a lovely sweetness and texture that responds well to just about any cooking method. When purchasing, keep in mind that almost all shrimp have been frozen. If they are not frozen at the grocery store, then you don’t know how long they have been sitting in the display case, already in the process of decay. It’s best to thaw your own—overnight in the fridge is best, but under cool running water is a fast and safe method for those in a hurry. Shrimp with shells on are a bit more work (sometimes more work than you have time for) but retain a bit more flavor. EZ-Peel shrimp have the benefit of still retaining the shell (which is very EZ-ily peeled away) but have the intestinal vein already removed, which makes them ideal for grilling or sautéing when you are looking for a bit of protection for the shrimp and a more pronounced flavor.
Octopus
Although intimidating to many home cooks, octopus is a type of seafood that freezes beautifully. In fact, freezing the octopus helps tenderize it (as opposed to the much older technique of fishermen beating it against the rocks on the seashore). Spanish octopus tends to be of very high quality and is worth the trouble of seeking it out. Octopus loses a tremendous volume when cooking, so keep that in mind when purchasing. Before applications like grilling or searing, octopus must first be cooked, usually by gently simmering in a little water with seasonings like garlic, bay leaf, salt, and crushed red pepper. A wine cork is traditionally cooked along with other seasoning to help tenderize the octopus, but this technique has been disproven. Cook the octopus immediately after it is thawed (possibly before it is thawed completely), because it is highly perishable—and rotting octopus is possibly one of the worst smells you will ever experience in a kitchen.