Older Bolder Life

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the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Thyme Butter Basted Red Snapper

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For today’s Friday Feast I’m pleased to share a little trick that I learned this year during my brief stint working in a commercial restaurant kitchen during my “take a peek behind the curtain” look at the food industry.

As it turns out, the executive chef of the team I was working with had spent years running an upscale eatery in the Dallas metro that primarily focused on fresh seafood. The volume of fish and shellfish they prepared and served back in the day was absolutely staggering (Dallas/DFW is a metro that loves eating out), and this gentleman handled fish, shrimp, and oysters with a deft efficiency that was a marvel to watch.

Every time I had a chance I pestered him for tips and tricks that were readily translatable to the home kitchen, and the most useful one he shared was this very preparation that works for almost any fish, though we talked most often about using it for a firm fleshed white fish like red snapper and redfish here in Texas, though flounder, cod, halibut, and several other of course work as well. Leaving skin on one side (on the half shell, at least down here in the South) helps maintain the integrity of the fillet, though of course that’s up to you.

Having been taught over the years to pan sauté fish fillets over higher heat, I was a bit surprised at Chad’s insistence that the best way to prepare this dish was as follows.

Having prepped your fish (trimmed, washed, removed any remaining scales), the fillets need to be patted dry thoroughly while pre-heating a (preferably non-stick or a well-seasoned carbon steel) pan over medium-low heat.

Splash a tablespoon or two of avocado or olive oil in the pan (you’re cooking over lower heat, so olive oil works here), then season the fillets generously with good salt and perhaps a grind of fresh pepper (we also use a fresh cajun spice mix occasionally) and place skin side down in the heated pan.

You need to pay attention here, if the oil smokes, you’re running too hot; removed the pan, turn down the heat, put the pan back over the heat and be patient. Pending how thick your fillets are, you’ll most likely cook for 4-6 minutes before turning, and only after the fish has released from the pan. Don’t try to turn or “scrape it off” if the initial side hasn’t released – it will eventually.

Carefully turn the fillets using a fish spatula if you have one, and then drop in several generous pats of your favorite grass fed butter and a handful of fresh herbs – we’re partial to the magic that thyme brings to the dish, though experiment and try your favorites.

As the butter melts (and it might take a bit of time as you’re cooking over lower heat), tip the pan to one side, pooling the butter, and then spoon it over the fillets as they cook. Continue basting intermittently until the fish is cooked through to your preference.

After removing the fish to warmed plates and topping each with a few sprigs of thyme, squeeze half a lemon’s juice (or more if you wish) into the butter remaining in the pan, stir it in, and spoon over the fillets.

Enjoy this one, you’ll be coming back to it again and again.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 27 July: Judy’s Grilled Salmon

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Several weeks ago when posting this recipe for Lemony Spiced Salmon Kabobs, I shared about a clandestine fresh Alaskan salmon connection we had years ago up in Salt Lake City –

Years ago, living and working in the Salt Lake City valley, we befriended a couple who, among a bevy of interesting quirks, were partners with another guy in a small Alaskan fishing business.

This ‘other guy’ had a boat and spent a fair part of every summer up there and fished (commercially); he sold some of his take to the big canneries, but some, he packed up on ice in coolers, threw on a direct Delta flight, and were then sold by our friends out of their garage, most often 24 hours or less out of the water. And at prices far, far less than local fish markets (there weren’t multiple hands clamoring to take a cut out of the pie).

The halibut was amazing, but the salmon was simply stunning.

The guy’s wife, a wonderful woman named Judy, taught us this quick and easy marinade for salmon the first summer after we’d met. We like to set it up the night before grilling, and it’s well worth using a handful of fresh dill in the marinade. We like to stir in a tbsp or more of chili garlic paste (it adds a very subtle but discernible note), and while Judy’s original recipe called for a tbsp of brown sugar, we don’t miss it all leaving it out these days.

1-2 wild caught salmon fillet(s), pin bones removed

1 cup soy or tamari
Juice of one large lemon
1/2 lemon cut into thin rounds
1 bunch fresh dill, trimmed
1/4 cup olive or avocado oil

Optional
1 tbsp oriental chili paste or chili garlic paste
1 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup

Prep your salmon (pull those pin bones!) and combine all the marinade ingredients, then pour into a large, flat container. Lay the salmon flesh side down in the marinade, cover, and throw in the fridge.

When ready to grill, fire the grill, drain and discard the marinade, and grill skin side down first on an oiled grill for 3-4 minutes, then turn and cook for another minute or two until done to suit your clan. Great hot off the grill or chilled for the next day’s salad.

Enjoy.

Older Bolder Foundations: Making the Best Fish and Seafood Protein Choices

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We’ve been talking lately about making the best possible choices when shopping for proteins, covering a few principles regarding red meat proteins here and poultry proteins here.

The health benefits of regular seafood consumptions are pretty much indisputable (see here and here for example), with some particular precautions duly noted, and include reduction of chronic inflammation, improved mood and decreased risk of depression, improved cardiovascular and pulmonary health/function, and improved cognitive function across all age groups.

SMASH Your Fish

Two key principles in selecting the best fish choices include selecting fish from colder waters (higher omega-3) and fish lower down the food chain (to minimize concentration of mercury and other contaminants as you move further up the chain).

Remember the SMASH fish five: salmon, mackerel (not king mackerel), anchovies, most sardines, and herring. Smaller fish are most often more economical, and many are canned using quality oils (check to be sure).

Wild-caught fish from remote, pollution free waters should be top on your list (Bristol Bay salmon, we’re thinking about you).

Fish Farms, For the Most Part, Are Not Your Friend

Most farmed fish and shellfish, particularly those raised out of country, are fairly high risk given their exposures to substandard feeds, antibiotic use in pens to address infections caused by compromised water and conditions, are often pesticide-treated given infestations of their tanks, and are often raised in toxic, polluted waters. Many farmed fish and shellfish are even fed artificial coloring agents to tint their flesh more like their wild cousins (common in some Atlantic salmon farms).

There are exceptions to the ‘avoid most farmed fish’ caution, and include domestically raised catfish, barramundi, trout, tanked-farmed coho salmon, crayfish, and most domestically propagated shellfish.

Fish Priorities for Your Plate

Top of the list every time will be the wild-caught, cold-water, oily fish – think the SMASH five; followed by other sustainable, wild-caught fish from pristine waters.

Fish lower on the food chain are your friend for the most part; fish higher on the food chain (i.e. king mackerel, American eel, Chilean sea bass, orange roughy, marlin, shark, swordfish, and some tuna – ahi and big eye) are more prone to bio-accumulation of toxins.

Sustainability of fish stocks has been and will remain a prime concern; for that reason we agree with those who suggest limited consumption of Atlantic cod, halibut, sole, bluefin tuna, and even flounder.

There are several resources available, though the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch site is probably the most commonly sited resource you need to bookmark and use, and they have a handy pocket guide you can print and carry with you (image cut below).

Fish You’d Never Want to Serve Your Family

Though I was not convinced of this until several years ago, almost all farmed fish from Asia should be avoided given concerns over very lax management of water quality, specifically related to pollution and toxin levels, as well as substandard feeds used.

Another fish to avoid consistently is farmed Atlantic salmon, the species most commonly served by fishmongers and restaurant providers across the country. There’s years of data exposing the travesty of this particular industry, dig around a bit and read more if you’re skeptical.

The Mercury vs. Selenium Debate

We’ve all been cautioned for years about the impressive levels of mercury found in fish stocks, increasing as you move up the food chain, though there’s increasing data available that suggests naturally occurring selenium in fish (high levels except in swordfish and sharks) indeed counteracts many of the concerns regarding mercury in fish. A couple of interesting reads to overview the issue if you’ve not read much on this topic can be found here and here.