Equipment: Needle Nose Pliers

You know, there are lots of things in your tool box that can be used in the kitchen...and can make the job easier. I love using a pair of small needle nose pliers to remove the fine bones in fish before roasting or grilling. Why, you may ask? Well, for starters it makes life a little easier on parents to not worry about a choking kid. But mostly, I take the extra step when I am catering an event. The last thing anyone wants to do at a cocktail party is pull a fish bone out of their mouth! No one can look cool doing that. Seriously.


This is an easy step, and doesn't take a lot of time....


1) Make sure your needle nose pliers are washed and dried (I dedicate a pair for this purpose)
2) Gently run your fingers (use gloves to avoid the fishy smell) along the flesh of the fish
3)When you feel the little bones peeking out, gently grab with the pliers and remove


Easy peasy. Now you're ready to roast, grill and amaze your friends with your beautifully prepared fish. 

Recipe: Fish + Potatoes with Coconut Saffron Sauce

This dish is sunny + warm. Perfect for a February evening and simple to put together. I've thrown some carrots into the mix, with great effect. I have also used Black Cod in place of the Opah. Just make sure you have a meaty fish that will hold together during cooking. If you happen to have some leftover roasted potatoes on hand, you can pull this off in a flash!

Fish + Potatoes with Coconut Saffron Sauce

serves 6

Potatoes 


1.5 lbs Red potatoes, sliced 


2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced 


Mild curry powder 


Salt & Pepper 


Olive Oil

Pre-heat the oven to 400 


Toss all potatoes with olive oil, salt & pepper, curry powder 


Roast at 400 for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until fork tender

Sauce 


1 cup veggie stock 


1 clove garlic, crushed or halved 


1 can coconut milk 


Juice of 1 – 2 limes


1 bunch of cilantro 


Pinch of saffron

Heat veggie stock in small saucepan 


Add coconut milk 


Add pinch of saffron 


Add 2-3 stalks of cilantro 


Bring to a boil and reduced heat.

Reduce liquid until ½ to ¾ volume 


Add lime (or lemon) juice to taste 


Strain

Fish

2 lbs of Opah or other ‘meaty’ fish, cut into 6 filets 


Olive Oil 


Salt & Pepper 


Mild curry powder

Heat oil in large sauté pan until oil shimmers 


Season filets on 1 side with s&p and curry powder 


Place seasoned side down in skillet 


While cooking, season ‘up’ side of fish 


Continue to sauté on all 4 sides until fish is medium rare in middle (about 10 minutes total) or well done...this will vary depending on the thickness of your fish!

To plate: Place potatoes in shallow bowl or rimmed plate, top with fish and pour over sauce. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve warm!

Recipe: Roasted Salmon

Salmon at this time of the year needs no special prep or even sauce, for that matter. I'm not even going to give you a real recipe. You won't need it! Just turn your oven on 425˚. Lightly oil a baking pan and place the salmon, skin side down. Season with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and a little drizzle of olive oil. That's it. Put it in the oven and roast about 15 minutes or until the fish springs back to the touch. Let sit another 10 minutes before serving. Add to pasta or top a salad. Perfect, fresh and light enough for a summer meal.

If you'd like to amp it up a bit, you can borrow a page from Bon Appetit's Molly Wizenberg. Use the same method but slather a little creme fraiche on top of the salmon before roasting. It seals in all of the juices nicely!

Ingredient: Copper River Salmon

n. species of migratory fish that can live in both salt + fresh water, found in the Copper River of Alaska

Right now, and I mean NOW, is the time to get some Copper River Salmon. It is only available for about 1 month per year, and the time is nigh. The season typically runs from mid-May to mid-June.

I purchased some very fine specimens at our local fishmonger this past week. So very tasty. What makes Copper River Salmon so special? The Copper River is a chilly, rapid filled river that runs through Alaska and produces a particularly strong and hearty salmon, chock full of healthy oils and fat. The meat has a distinctive deep, rich orangey-pink color... much more vibrant than other varieties of salmon. Copper River Salmon is also wild-caught, which makes it a better choice for you and the environment. Try it. You'll love it.