Savvy seafood shopping

Elizabeth Morse Read

Ahoy! Have you seen the price of frozen lobster tails ($35.99/lb.), sea scallops ($25.99/lb.), or tuna steaks ($25/7-9 oz.) lately? You so badly wanted to host a big family shindig this summer, complete with lobsters, steamers, stuffies, seafood kabobs, and all the trimmings. But with prices like these, how can you even come close to your dream reunion without taking out a second mortgage?

Nutritionists advise that we all eat fish at least twice a week – it’s a lean and relatively inexpensive protein high in omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D. And when you buy fresh fish fillets, you’re not paying for bones, gristle, skin, or fat, as you do when you buy meat. So don’t get light-headed when you walk past the fish counter – read on and then dive in!

ONE MAN’S TRASH (FISH) IS ANOTHER MAN’S TREASURE

We may live in inflationary times, but we can educate ourselves on the economics and science of seafood and the fishing industry – and learn to love the less expensive, underutilized by-catch fish, aka “trash fish,” or the lesserknown species that rarely show up in the supermarket. Can’t afford the salmon? Try its tasty cousin, Arctic char. Can’t afford the scallops? Experiment with skate wing! Can’t afford the fish steaks? Become a seafood kebabs grill master!

POOR MAN’S LOBSTER

Nothing screams “summer” more than creamy chunks of lobster salad in a toasted hot dog roll. But would anyone really notice if those chunks were actually made of cubed and shredded monkfish? When a fillet of monkfish is sauteed in butter, it tastes very much like lobster! And, at about $6.99/lb., it’s a lot less expensive than the real thing and a lot easier to prepare. Add finely chopped celery to the fish, dollops of mayonnaise, and a good sprinkle of sweet paprika, and – voila! – faux lobster salad!

POOR MAN’S COD

Pollock, a plentiful and inexpensive white fish [see sidebar], tastes almost exactly like the more endangered and expensive codfish. It’s used in frozen fish products like fish sticks and breaded fish fillets, but a fresh pollock fillet is just as tasty as its codfish cousin. And, with pollock selling for about $6.99/lb. versus $10.99-$12.99/lb. for cod, it’s a much more affordable choice for your favorite baked fish, fish & chips, and fish stews.

CHOWDER FISH

Did you ever wonder what happens to all the leftover bits and bobs of a whole fish after it’s been filleted or cut into steaks? The head, tail, bones and skin go into the trash (or a stock pot), and all the strips and chunks of flesh become “chowder fish.” In other words, excellent (if oddly-shaped) seafood that’s perfect for stews, chowders, bouillabaisse, cioppino, tacos, or fish cakes [see sidebar]. And “chowder fish” is cheap – $3.99/lb. – and usually full of fresh white fish like haddock, flounder, or cod.

SEAFOOD KEBABS

Nothing is more elegant – or delicious – than swordfish or tuna steak kebabs grilled to perfection. But unless you’re taking out a loan to finance this BBQ, start thinking about alternatives. You can reduce the number of fish chunks and jumbo shrimp on each skewer and fill in the blank spaces with more vegetables, or you can alternate the fancy fish with marinated monkfish. Or, you could ask your friendly fishmonger how much he charges for swordfish or tuna “kebabs” – the leftover chunks from trimming fish steaks – they’ll cost you $6.99/lb. compared with $16.99/lb. for fresh swordfish steaks (or $11.99/ lb. for previously frozen steaks). Quite a savings for the savvy seafood shopper!

Note to readers: the prices quoted in this article are a combination of local prices and those quoted on the Fulton Fish Market website, both of which change daily.

FIND YOUR FAVORITE FISHMONGER!

You wouldn’t buy sushi from a gas station convenience store, would you? Then why would you buy seafood from a cookie-cutter fish counter at the local supermarket, where the seafood was probably spent a day or two traveling in a refrigerated truck from a regional distribution center? Remember: the shortest span of time between a fish being caught to being served on your plate is the goal. In food stores in Japan, seafood prices are discounted every hour as their “freshness” decreases! It may be a bit out of your way, but it’s well worth your time and money to search for and buy from a real seafood store, where the seafood goes directly from ship-to-shop daily, especially for those special occasions this summer. For a seafood lover like myself, I live amidst an embarrassment of riches only a few miles from my house, all within a block of each other right off Route 195: the fish counter at Market Basket on Coggeshall Street in New Bedford, Kyler’s Catch Seafood Market on Washburn Street (kylerseafood. com) (which also ships seafood overnight), and the fish counter at Amaral’s Portuguese Market on Belleville Avenue (amaralsmarket.net). You can also order overnight delivery from Fulton Fish Market in New York City for hard-to-find seafoods like skate, shad roe, or smoked trout (fultonfishmarket.com).

ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUEFISH

Even avid fishermen who love the thrill of surfcasting for blues don’t always like the taste of bluefish. However, if you like your fish tasting more “fishy” or “gamey” than a delicate fillet of sole, then you must learn how to cook this plentiful and inexpensive fish ($6.99/lb.). First of all, bluefish must be cooked within 48 hours of being caught – it doesn’t “keep” well in the refrigerator or freezer. Buy bluefish early in the season, when they’re smaller and less oily than full-grown bluefish. They can be cooked just about every which way, but they’re especially good when baked or grilled – and they stand up well to strong seasoning and tangy, acidic marinades. To minimize any “fishy” odor, rinse the bluefish fillet in water, pat dry, then place it in a shallow dish, cover it with low-fat milk and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Rinse again, pat dry and score the skin a few times with a sharp knife-tip to prevent curling (if you’re grilling). If you’re baking, spread a layer of Greek yogurt or mayonnaise atop the fillets to keep them moist and flaky. Bon appetit!

BECOME A SAVVIER SEAFOOD SHOPPER

Even though New Bedford has been the country’s number-one seaport for value for years, the US still imports 80% of the seafood it consumes. Did you ever think about where all those fish came from, or whether the people who caught them were doing so according to international agreements [see sidebar]? It’s important that you buy only seafood that was sustainably sourced, caught, or farmed, and that does not contribute to the endangerment of other forms of sea life, like coral. You can educate yourself by reading guides produced by the Marine Stewardship Council (msc.org), an international nonprofit working to end overfishing and to ensure that seafood is caught sustainably. Another very helpful source of guidance is the Seafood Watch Program (seafoodwatch.org) of the (montereybayaquarium.org). Use their handy pocket guides to make seafood choices when you’re shopping or dining out – they help consumers and businesses choose seafood that’s fished or farmed in ways that support a healthy ocean, now and for future generations. You can also follow the fortunes of companies like New Bedford’s Blue Harvest Fisheries, where 100% of their seafood products are fully traceable from boat to plate, and 90% of their seafood is sustainably sourced from MSC-certified fisheries. Like many other sustainabilityminded fishing fleets, they promote the sale and consumption of underutilized but plentiful species.

FISH CAKES 101

Everyone knows someone who has perfected the art of making fish cakes, salmon cakes, crab cakes, or clam cakes. On special occasions and cookouts, they’re proudly served on the appetizer tray next to the stuffed quahogs and the scallops wrapped in bacon.

Why, then, even when you use the same ingredients, do your fish cakes come out soggy, crumbly, and looking like something the family cat wouldn’t eat? Here are a few tips that may help:

First, cook the potatoes and fish according to the recipe the night before you’re going to make the actual fish cakes. Give the cooked potatoes plenty of time to cool off and dry out in the refrigerator overnight.

Second, refrigerate the prepared fish cakes (or place them in the freezer) for half an hour before you place them in the hot oil, and keep them in the fridge between batches – don’t let them reach room temp sitting on the counter while you’re cooking the first batch. You want them to be cold when they go into the hot oil.

Third, don’t use too much oil in the frying pan or crowd the pan with more than four fish cakes per batch – the oil will cool down rapidly if you do that. And always let the oil reheat between batches; otherwise, it will just seep into the fish cakes, instead of cooking them. Cook each batch about 2 ½ to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and flip them only once. Drain them thoroughly on paper towels, then transfer to a serving plate.

2 russet potatoes, peeled, cut up, rinsed and drained 1 lb. white fish, cut up/cubed *

1 large egg

1 Tsp. butter, melted

1 Tsp. grated onion or minced scallion

1 Tsp. chopped fresh parsley or dillweed

1 ½ tsp. dry mustard Pinch of white pepper

Tsp. canola oil/batch

*chowder fish, pollock, cod, monkfish, haddock, ocean perch In a large pot, cover the potatoes with water, then add another inch or so. Bring to a boil and cook until almost tender. Add the fish, continue cooking until both the potato and fish are tender and falling apart. Drain thoroughly and refrigerate overnight. Transfer to a large mixing bowl the next day and mash until smooth and well-blended.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, butter, parsley/dill, onion, white pepper, and mustard. Pour over the potato/fish mix and mash until thoroughly blended. Shape the mixture into eight equal patties; place them on a plate, cover, and refrigerate/ freeze them for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Fry four fish cakes at a time, as described above. (You can use this basic recipe with salmon, chopped clams, lobster, or crabmeat, too!)