As Americans, we love to celebrate with traditional food. If you get invited to someone's house for Thanksgiving, you can bet the turkey will take centerstage. If you show up at a 4th of July party you are most likely going to be eating burgers and dogs. We even love celebrating the cuisine of other countries. Whether it's the Germans during Octoberfest or the Irish at St. Patrick's Day we are all about filling our tables with the appropriate menu.
This weekend is Cinco de Mayo! Get out your tequila and your cerveza and put together some awesome fish tacos. We have lots of grouper in the cases this weekend and it grills beautifully and holds up nicely in a taco shell.
What Good To A Nook is a Hook Cookbook?
Dr. Seuss wrote that line in 1960. Talk about a visionary! Today a Nook isn't a weird looking creature with a hook on his head but an electronic device to read books! I try to read and cook electronically but I really, really love the feel of a book in my hand. And a when you are looking for a favorite recipe, the easiest way to locate it is to find the page with the most splatters!
I have a rather spectacular collection of seafood cookbooks, mostly due to the retirement of Vicky Murphy from Inland Seafood. Vicky was in the seafood business for her entire career and amassed this wonderful seafood library which she passed along to me. I haven't been a slacker either when it comes to seafood cooking manuals. I can't seem to pass by a bookstore or garage sale without digging through cookbooks for something seafood.
There's no way to know how I got my hands on this eclectic little book.
Yes, that says Alaska Seafood, Mexican Tradition. It's a short book written by the owner of Frontera Grill, Rick Bayless, which demonstrates how important seafood is in two very different parts of the world, Alaska and Mexico.
Seared Alaska Halibut in Escabeche
1/2 c. olive oil
6 (6 oz) halibut portions
2 medium white onions, sliced 1/4" thick
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes
6 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
3 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 t. dried
6 sprigs fresh marjoram leaves roughly chopped or 1/2 t. dried
3 whole cloves
1/4 t. black pepepr
2" piece of cinnamon stick (preferably Mexican canela)
1/4 c. cider vinegar
1 c. water or light fish or light chicken broth
Salt as needed
3 or 4 large fresh or pickeled jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and cut lengthwise into thin strips
Browning the Halibut:
In a 12 inch heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat the halibut fillets dry with paper towels, then lay them in a single, uncrowded layer in the hot oil ( you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan and fillets. Brown richly on one side, 3 to 4 minutes; then flip the fillets over and brown the other side, letting te halibut cook until it flakes under firm pressure, 2 or 3 minutes more. Remove the fillets to a plate and set aside.
The Escabeche:
Reduce the heat under the pan to medium and add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Stir regularly until the onions are translucent and the carrots are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, vinegar and water or broth. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to bring the flavors together. Taste and season with salt, usually about 3/4 t., then stir in jalapeno strips.
Ceviche is Back
Just in time for Cinco de Mayo!
Spanish-style Ceviche
Mahi, tomato sauce, cilantro, garlic, onions, jalapenos, and olives
Mahi - Friday in Milton, both stores on Saturday
Fresh Shrimp - Friday in Johns Creek, both stores on Saturday
Gag grouper
Red grouper
Trigger
By special order only (order Friday for Saturday delivery)
Sheephead
Permit
Catch to Go
Through Sunday
Blackened Corvina
Cheddar Cheese Grits and Hickory Garlic Asparagus
Salsa Verde Salmon
with Grape Tomatoes, Garlic Green Beans and Jasmine Rice
And Finally
Speaking of combining cultures, my very Irish-looking nephew, Joey, married his very Latina wife this weekend. You might remember Joey from years ago when he worked at our Johns Creek location. Joey is no longer a fishmonger - he grew up and became a Gwinnett County police officer.
You can thank me later for not posting the pictures of me dancing the night away. Instead I will let you feast your eyes on two of my grandchildren at the wedding.
These two are best friends and while they are first cousins, they clearly have some very different blood running through their veins. She is Irish and Native American. He is Irish and Mexican.
I guess you could say there is a theme in this email today and it is this: beauty, love and good food from all different corners of the world come together right here in our country, our neighborhoods and our families.
Enjoy each other this weekend.'
Blessings,
Kathleen
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