Stretching Seafood Dollars, St. Patrick's Day and Halibut

Hey Y'all,

Are you feeling lucky?  This weekend, if you are Irish, you might want to buy a lottery ticket.  Where do you think the phrase the Luck of the Irish came from? Many Irish were gold miners back in the day. Whenever they struck gold people attributed that to the Luck of the Irish! (and apparently not due to their skill at mining...)

Halbut's Back

Yesterday was pi day.  Guess what today is. It's the opening of halibut season!!! YAY!! We should be seeing this fav fish early next week.  Call us up if you want to be sure it is in but in the meantime drag out those halibut recipes and get ready!

 With all the talk of sustainability and fishing out the oceans, it is hard to remember what healthy fish populations look like.  Pacific halibut is one.  Alaska's total halibut catch this year is 22 million lbs.  Read that again - 22 MILLION POUNDS!  And this is up 1.5 million lbs. from last year.  Here's what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA - those folks in charge of making sure our oceans stay full of fish) had to say about the increase in catch limits:

“While the overall quota for 2019 is a slight increase over 2018, the catch limits agreed to at the meeting reflect a sensible, conservative approach that will secure the future of this iconic and economically important species,” 

How to Stretch Your Seafood Dollar

I was at an event last week with some friends when someone with less than perfect manners mentioned my "$20 plus/lb shrimp". Because I am a wisecracker, I just said "you get what you pay for." But the truth is I don't sell shrimp that costs $20.00/lb. This is not to say, though, that carrying the very best seafood available isn't an expensive proposition. Even low quality seafood isn't cheap. But seafood is such an important part of your diet that you should do what you can to include it in your menus at least twice a week.

Of course you can always shop our discount freezer for the best deals in the store.  And another way to stretch your seafood dollars is to extend the more expensive ingredients by combining them with flavorful, nutritious and inexpensive items such as vegetables, pasta or rice.

This recipe adapted from an old Simply Seafood Magazine originally called for clams. Feel free to substitute or add mussels, scallops, shrimp, crawfish or chunks of firm fleshed fish - whatever your budget will allow. You can use any fresh herbs you have in place of the dried - just double the amount shown for dried seasonings.

Seafood and Vegetable Bowl

Serves 4

1 lb. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4" cubes

2 lbs. littleneck clams

1 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 t. dry basil leaves

1/2 t. dry oregano

1/2 t. dry thyme

1/2 t. dry rosemary

1/2 t. crushed fennel seeds

1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes

1 small zucchini (1/4 to 1/3 lb.), cut into 1/2" slices

1 small yellow squash (1/4 to 1/3 lb.) cut into 1/2" slices

1/4 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed

Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, scrub the clams (or mussels, or both) and discard any that are not tightly closed or that do not close when shells are pressed together. Drain.

In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds and stir until the onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Quarter the tomatoes, reserving their juice. Add the tomatoes and juice to pan, cover and bring to a boil.

Add the cooked potatoes, zucchini and beans. Stir in the clams, cover and simmer until the shells open, 5 to 6 minutes. Discard any clams or mussels that do not open. Divide the seafood, vegetables and broth among 4 large bowls and serve immediately. 

Mu Shu Salmon

aka Stretch Those Salmon Dollars

Serves 4

12 small (6-or 8-inch) flour tortillas or 8 larger (10-inch) tortillas

6 to 8 dried shiitake mushrooms (or use less expensive white mushrooms)

3/4 lb. skinless salmon fillet, pin bones removed. (Ask us to do this for you!)

1 T soy sauce

1 T sesame oil

2 T olive oil

3 large eggs, slightly beaten

4 green onions, shredded

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 T minced fresh ginger

4 c.shredded Napa cabbage

2 T water

1/4 to 1/3 c. hoisin sauce, duck sauce or plum sauce

Stack the tortillas and wrap in foil. Just before serving, heat in a 350 degree oven until hot,15 minutes. 

Soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl of hot tap water until tender, 15 to 30 minutes. Drain and gently squeeze the mushrooms. (If you are substituting white button mushrooms, saute in 1 T. of olive oil for 1 minute). Discard the tough stems, then cut the caps in slivers. Set aside in a large bowl.

Rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry. Slice the salmon crosswise into strips 1/4" thick and set aside. Combine the soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil  swirling to coat the sides. When oil is hot, add eggs and cook until set, stirring constantly to break up the eggs, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms.

Add another 2 teaspoons of oil to the wok. Add salmon and stir gently until just opaque on the outside, 1-2 minutes. Add to mushrooms.

Scrape any cooked bits of fish from wok and discard (drizzle a lttle water into pan to loosen cooked-on bits). Turn heat to medium and add remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the green onions, garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant and the onion is bright green, about one minute. Add the cabbage and water and stir until cabbage wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the mushrooms, egg and salmon to the wok. Pour in the soy mixture and toss the ingredients until thoroughly combined and heat through. Taste the mixture for seasoning, adding more soy sauce or sesame oil as needed.

To eat, spoon 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce down the center of the tortilla - a little more for the larger tortillas. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the filling (1/2 c. for larger tortilla) over the sauce, then fold three sides of tortilla over the filling to enclose, leaving one end open.

There you have it, two seafood stretcher meals.  One is Italiany and one is Chinesey.  If you want to make them for St. Patrick's Day, simply add green food coloring.

A Few of the Available Fish This Weekend

Corvina

Red Snapper

Monkfish

Cod

Flounder

Rainbow trout

Haddock

And a whole lot more...

By special order only (order Friday for Saturday delivery)

King mackerel

Catch to Go

Through Sunday it's Honey Jalapeno Salmon with Black Beans, Corn and Spinach Salad.

Next week starting Monday, 

Blackened Mahi 

Cheddar Cheese Grits and Hickory Roasted Garlic Asparagus

Wine Tasting at Milton

If you are in the Milton area Friday afternoon between 3:00 and 6:00 stop by and check out our weekly wine tasting.  Why?  

• You get to taste really good wines
• It's free
• It's kid friendly (well, they don't get taste but we are happy to have them around.)
• Sara will give you a discount on your seafood if you buy wine.  How's that for stretching those seafood dollar?

And Finally

My maiden name, Regan, my green eyes and my daughter's red hair attest to my long line of Irish ancestors. Yet, my great grandfather, Michael Spratt, was a private in the Union Army in the Civil War and was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg so that makes me pretty darn American too.

St. Patrick's Day makes me think about immigrants and what it means to assimilate into a society. The Irish weren't the most beloved immigrants in our nation's history. They were looked down upon as poor and uneducated. But on March 17th, we dye the rivers green and wear shamrocks because "Everyone's an Irishman on St. Patrick's Day!"

It's a fine line for immigrants to embrace local language and customs and at the same time hang on to their cultural identity.  But one of the best things about America is that there really isn't an "American" culture that is distinct from all the different nationalities represented in our vast country. In America, all her parts add up to much more than her smaller pieces. We are way better together than separate.

Erin go bragh and God bless America.

Blessings,
Kathleen

I Wrote You A Poem

Hey Y'all,

It's Daylight Savings Time this weekend! Yay! Let's have a party at the neighborhood pool this weekend! Isn't it time for the beach? Get out the sunscreen! Where are my shorts?

Fin Mail

I am so thankful that Amy sent me this note and recipe. I don't get many recipes for side dishes that are perfect for seafood and this one is just that!

Hi Kathleen,

Though it’s not Lent yet, I wanted to have the Verlasso salmon tonight that I picked up at your John’s Creek store. So glad I did!

I baked the salmon (with salt/pepper, garlic powder, dill and a bit of olive oil), roasted the brussel sprouts and had some Greek inspired cooked chick peas. I didn’t like chick peas until I had these made by my friend who is from one of the Greek islands (see recipe below)!

I rarely take pictures of my meal but this was an exception. Thanks to Kathleen’s Catch and Elena, I had the best meal of the week.

Amy

Greek inspired Chick Peas Cooked in Tomatoes

Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup dry chickpeas or 2 cans cooked chickpeas
1 small onion chopped
¼ cup olive oil
1 carrot chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 can of chopped tomatoes (16 ounces)
½ teaspoon sugar
salt/pepper to taste
Chopped parsley

Instructions

1. If you are using dry chickpeas, soak them overnight. Rinse and put in a pot, add water so the beans are covered by about 3 inches and the bay leaf. Cook for about an hour until the beans are soft. Halfway through cooking add the chopped onion, pepper and carrot.
2. If you are using canned chickpeas, you can just boil the carrots, pepper and onion for about 20 minutes and drain.
3. Once the chickpeas are cooked, drain them along with the other vegetables and set aside.
4. In a pan heat the olive oil, and sauté the chickpea mixture for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and sugar and mix well and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until all liquids has been absorbed. You can add small amounts of hot water if needed during the cooking.
5. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper and sprinkle with some parsley

Thanks, Amy, for this delicous sounding recipe.

Now for a little about chickpeas:

I have had a mixed relationship with chickpeas. My very first job was at a Western Sizzlin back in the day when salad bars were all the rage. My job was to keep the salad bar full. Garbanzo beans came in a #10 can. I didn't like them. I did, however, love chickpeas.  

An Ode to Chickpeas

Garbanzo beans from a jar
on the Sizzlin steakhouse salad bar.
Oh no, oh no I am not a fan
I do not like beans from a can.

Chickpeas are delicious
and oh so nutritious.
But garbanzos are icky
and funky and stinky.

What? You proclaim!
They are the same!!
They are both appetizing!
Well, that is rather surprising!

It just goes to show

who am I to know?
Garbanzos and chickpeas
Why yes, I'll have more please.

Also in my fin mail I found Lou Hiers' ideas on the best way to cook salmon.

Hi Ya’ll,
This is the third time I have cooked salmon in my air fryer and unless I decide to smoke some I will not cook it any other way. I set my air fryer to 390 degrees, the max for my unit, and when it reaches that I add the salmon that I have seasoned with Emerills or some other seafood seasoning (ed: Helloooo - Kathleen's Catch seasonings are fresh and great on salmon!). The air fryer really is just a new name for a convection oven and it cooks the salmon perfectly. Moist and done all the way thru at 10 minutes at 390. Cheers!

I love these three pictures that show off how gorgeous our salmon is raw and cooked!

Some Cool Fish This Weekend

• Striped bass from Rhode Island
• Golden Tile from (Two Jerks Seafood in Jupiter, FL -- really)
• King Clip (good for seafood stews, very white, sweet, holds together well)
• Monkfish (best tasting ugly fish ever. Poor man's lobster.)
• Red snapper from Madiera Beach, Florida
• Arctic Char from Iceland -special price of $16.25/lb this weekend only
• Icelandic cod - extra big fillets. Pretty white flakey fillets

By special order only (order Friday for Saturday delivery)

• Pompano from Naples, FL
• Opah from California

This Weekend We are Stuffing It!

We have a batch of fresh crab stuffing that we are stuffing fish with. Pick up some stuffed fish stuffed with stuffing or just pick up some stuffing to stuff your stuffed fish with. (I have been waiting all week to write that sentence using the same word for an adjective, a verb and a noun.)

Catch to Go

Through Sunday, in honor of this week's Mardi Gras, Catch to Go is New Orleans Shrimp Creole. By the way, I heard that on Wednesday, the city of New Orleans retrieved 93,000 lbs of beads from the storm drains in a five block area following Mardi Gras parades.

Next week starting Monday, the ever-popular Honey Jalapeno Salmon with Spinach, Black Beans and Corn Salad.

And Finally
So here we are at the start of Lent. Just when we managed to forget all those New Year's resolutions, we are hit with sacrifices for Lent. No matter who you are or what you believe in, you have to agree that taking a personal inventory every now and then is not a bad idea. Just keep in mind that, even if you didn't quite manage all those resolutions from the beginning of the year, today is a new day! And keep in mind that if you encounter some obstacles on your path to perfection, well, that's a good thing. After all, if you have made it to perfection, you are dead.

Here's to an imperfect life.

Blessings,
Kathleen

Cooking Whole Fish, Canadian Cooking Theory, Billy Beer

Hey Y'all,

I have had a number of comments about my new blog format for my newsletters.  I hear you!  Not all of you are clickers! I am fixing it this week by sending you the content in the email and then copying it into my blog.   That way if you ever want to go back and find some simply charming photo of my dog or a recipe from a former newsletter, you can go there for it.  If you are, in fact, a clicker and would prefer to see it in blog format, just click away at the link at the bottom of the email.   

Fin Mail

Thanks so much for all your love and photos this week.  My friend, Mary Mayer of Cheeses and Mary sent me this photo of her work.  There is a ton of beautiful food on this board but I think our shrimp is holding its own.

Loaves & Fishes

Here's her sweet note that came with the picture.

Last night we had the privilege to host a Corporate Team Building event and created a post-meeting Nosh board.  We are so grateful to you and Theos for your outstanding Localisciousness and making us look good!  

Thanks KC, 

Cheeses loves you.

Localisciousness!  I love it and I love Cheeses and Mary!

Below is a Valentine photo from an old friend of mine from another life!  Dan Person and I used to work together as Construction Managers back before I became a fishmonger. And you thought it was the fishmongering that made me gray.  

I'm not sure how Dan managed my Valentine logo placemats but how cute! Maybe we will be offering those next year with our Valentine's meals!

And this week on Google, a 5 Star review!
Amazing quality! I have never really enjoyed fish until now. Reviews might say it’s expensive, but it’s well worth the price. The freshest and best seafood I have ever had.
— T P

ed:  Blushing and nodding furiously...

How to Cook a Whole Fish
Ellen Buskovitz sent me this picture of the red snapper she prepared last weekend.



As Ellen knows, cooking it whole has to be one of the easiest ways to prepare fish. Pick up some whole yellowtail snappers at our markets this weekend. They are already cleaned so you can simply stuff the cavity with sliced lemons, fresh herbs, garlic, and salt. Score the outside of the fish, as shown in the picture above, about every inch or so. Rub the outside of the fish with olive oil. Lay the stuffed fish on the counter and measure the thickest part of the fish. 

Using the Canadian Cooking Theory, you can determine the amount of time to bake the fish. The cooking time is calculated by multiplying the thickness of the fish in inches by 10 minutes. If you are using a sauce, add 5 minutes. If your fish is frozen double the cooking time.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place fish on an oiled baking sheet and bake uncovered for the required number of minutes as calulated above.

How to tell when it's done?  Insert the tip of a sharp knife into the fish. If there is a very small line of translucency in the middle, it's time take it out. That little bit of translucency will cook on the way to the table. 

Overcooking fish is the number one reason people get discouraged.  Do your best to get it out before it gets too flaky and dried out.

A Few of the Available Fish This Weekend

Whole yellowtail snappers

Swordfish

Mahi

Fluke flounder

Monkfish

By special order only (order Friday for Saturday delivery)

Pompano

Catch to Go
Through Sunday it's Italian Herbed Swordfish with Grape, Amond and Barley Salad

Next week starting Monday, in honor of Mardi Gras, we are serving New Orleans Shrimp Creole!  

And Finally
President's Day was week before last and it didn't occur to me to write about it.  Like I mentioned last week, we spent the day at the Georgia  Aquarium which didn't have much to do with presidents.  No worries though because apparently my grandchildren were learning about presidents at school.  Joel must have learned a thing or two about our Georgia president, because he was even able to draw a picture of him.

I'm probably never going to become President of the United States but if I did, I hope I could see all the pictures that children in 2nd grade draw of me.  It would be humbling.  2nd graders are innocent, no politics or negativity.   Jimmy's teeth didn't even make it into this picture.

I wonder if 2nd graders learn about Billy Beer...

Blessings,

Kathleen

Mrs. Alandur's Biranyi, King Crab and Wolf Fish

Hey Y'all,

I'm considering expanding my business to include raft sales so that you can hop in and paddle your way over to the store.  Please let me know if you think this would hurt my business as people might  just go out in the road and fish for their dinner.  What do you think?  #pleasestopraining #carsdontfloat #fishingfordinner

Fin Mail

Ivan Tucker gave us a 5 Star (yay!!) Review on Google!  Thank you, Ivan!

Very pleased and impressed with Kathleen's. The Red Snapper was as fresh as it came right off the boat.

Also lots of people gave rave reviews in our follow up emails about the Valentine's dinners.  I am so glad you loved it and appreciated having a nice meal at home with little work and planning.

Do your friends a favor and spead the word, y'all.  Everybody needs a place to buy fresh fish.

Catch Customers Can Cook!

I include people's pictures of their meals because I think it gives others an idea of things they could prepare for themselves.  Even if they don't send me a recipe, I believe that the pictures of simple meals people make at home with my fish are an encouragement to others who need inspiration.

Ellyn Foltz used to travel to India often for her work.  One of the people who worked for her must have really loved her because he took her to his mother's home in Chennai where she made this.  Ellyn is calling it Mrs. Alandur's Biranyi.

Mrs. Alandur's Biranyi

Serves six adults or three teenage boys

I T. extra virgin olive oil
½ cup brown (or regular) basmati rice
1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
1-2 T minced fresh ginger
½ t ground coriander

1-2 T curry powder

Cayenne, to taste
1 potato (chopped, leave skin on)
2-3 carrots (roughly chopped after cleaning and peeling)
½-1 lb. uncooked, peeled, deveined shrimp from Kathleen’s
1-2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
½-1 (10 oz). bag thawed frozen peas
4-5 T Greek yogurt
1 jalapeno, chopped, optional
Fresh cilantro for garnish -also optional

This is a stew and what you add is completely flexible. I like lots of vegetables so I go with the larger portions suggested above. 

1. Prepare the rice. Can be done the day before. Set aside. 
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
3.  Cook the onions for about five minutes. 
4.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook with the onions for about a minute or so. Add the dry spices and cook for just a minute or so with the onion mixture. Watch carefully as they will burn easily. You just want them to release the spice oil (scent).
5. Add about a cup or so of water to the pot and add the potato and carrot to the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes until potatoes can be pierced with a fork.
6. Add the shrimp. Stir after 2-3 minutes to ensure even cooking.
7. Stir the thawed peas and tomatoes into the pot and heat through (no more than a few minutes) Remove from heat, stir in the rice and the yogurt.
8. Serve with a garnish of fresh cilantro and chopped jalapenos, if desired. In India, this would also be served with naan bread to dip into the stew.
9. Leftovers keep well in refrigerator. Heat gently before re-serving so that the yogurt does not separate.

Reason Number 6 to Shop at Kathleen's Catch

No surprise that one of the top reasons to shop at Kathleen's Catch is this lady right here, Sara Waterman, the manager of our store in Milton. Yes, she is my daughter, but I think that if you have met her you would agree that she is smart, cheerful, hardworking and a great asset to our business.    Having grown up in a fish family, Sara knows all about seafood and loves to share the news with her customers. Because she has worked for us for almost 8 years, everyone in Milton should know her and most of the Johns Creek customers remember her too.  Besides being a fishmonger extraordinare, Sara lives in Woodstock with her husband Nate, her son Joel and her step daughter Kailey.

Talk about a King Crab!

I spent President's Day doing some official research with a couple of my assistants at the Georgia Aquarium.

One of their favorite finds at the Aquarium was this Japanese Spider Crab.  As usual, I was unable to take a decent picture so I had to refer to Wikipedia for the image.

By Tsarli at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7252951

These crabs are clever.  They survive in the wild by hanging out nearly 2000 ft. deep on the ocean floor.  And they gather up a bunch of smaller animals and cement them to their backs as camouflage  to avoid being eaten.  Talk about taking advantage of your friends...

Anyway, this got me to thinking about crab, especially King Crab.  You know how delicious it is - delicate sweet flavor and tender texture.  You can use this crab for all kinds of appetizers, salads, soups and sautes.  It is best, though, just cracked and served with your favorite sauce or simply drawn butter.

Nutrition Facts per 3 oz. serving:

82 calories

16 g protein

1 g fat

0 g. monounsaturated 

1g. polyunsaturated

1 g carbohydrate

0 g sugar

0 g fiber

PLUS vitamin C, folate, vitamin B12, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium.

                 

Alaskan King Crab Salad with Avocado, Grapefruit and Citrus Ginger Vinaigrette

1 large or 2 small Ruby Red grapefruits

1 head butter lettuce

1 small head Belgian endive

1 avocado

1 lb. shelled Alaskan king crab (about 2 lbs. in shell)

1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

Vinaigrette

2 T lemon juice

2 T lime juice

1 T orange juice 

1 t orange zest

1 T finely minced fresh ginger

2 t Dijon mustard

1 T honey

1/3 c olive oil

1/4 t salt

Cayenne to taste

Make the vinaigrette first:  In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to three days.

Cut the peel and all the white pith from the grapefruit, exposing the flesh.  WIth a small paring knife, cut out the grapefruit segments and place in a bowl and set aside.

Using mainly the inner leaves of the butter lettuce, tear larger leaves into bite-sized pieces.  Cut the root off the endive and peel off each leaf.  Arrange the leaves in a stack and cut them in half lengthwise.  Cut the avocado in quarters; peel and slice thinly.

Toss the lettuces with half of the vinaigrette.  Divide between 4 plates, placing the greens in high mounds and pulling some endive pieces to the top.  Divide the avocado slices and grapefruit on top of each salad.  Divide the crabmeat between the salads and sprinkle salads with almonds and pomegranate seeds.  Pass the remaining dressing drizzle over crab.

What's Cool This Weekend?

Wolf fish is not a fish we carry regularly because people will often pass over fish they are not familiar with.  Sometimes it is because unfamiliar fish might not be the prettiest fish in the seafood case, but wolf fish is delicious AND beautiful.  The fillets are thick and very white.  The meat is sweet and the texture is on the firm side so it holds up to every cooking method.  It gets its name from its canine looking fangs but you won't be seeing those in our case today.  Just beautiful, white fillets.  Go out on a limb.  Try something different.  With this fish, you won't be sorry.  

Catch to Go

Ohhh soooo goooood.  It's our Low Country Bake. Yep, an Oven Ready Low Country Boil.  If you haven't tried this one, you better get going!  It's available until Sunday. 

Starting Monday, enjoy the Italian Herb Swordfish with a grape, almond, barley salad.

And Finally

I think I know who you are.

You are a lucky person.  You can read.  You own a device with an internet connection.  Most likely you eat some of the best seafood available in the world.  You own a car (or a raft - see first paragraph) to get you to the fish store.  You have a home with an indoor kitchen to prepare your seafood meals.
You sleep in a soft bed in a temperature controlled room.  You go to church or you don't go to church, because you get to choose.  You vote or don't vote because you get to choose.  When you are sick, you go to the doctor and when you are bored you go to the movies, or the bookstore or the golf course. 

Be grateful for where we live and how we live.  Life is good, right?

Blessings,
Kathleen

What Were You Saying?

Hey Y'all,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day yesterday.   Thank you to everyone who ordered  Valentine's Day meals from us.  It was so much fun and so rewarding to help you celebrate the love of your life in a special way.  I hope it all turned out well and that you enjoyed every bite.

Reason Number 5 to Shop at Kathleen's Catch
Our shrimp. 

We don't advertise our shrimp as small, medium, large, jumbo, colossal, or superdupergigantic.  We tell you how many are in a pound.  If we say 16/20 that means there are 16 to 20 in a pound.  If we say 21/25 you will know that these are just a bit smaller.

And our shrimp is domestic and wild caught - almost always from Brunswick, GA but sometimes from North Carolina or Florida.  And you won't find chemicals such as sodium tripolyphosphate (phosphate - as in laundry detergent) added to increase shelf-life or to cause them to soak up water so they weigh more (and cost more). 

Catch to Go

Through Sunday it is

Salsa Verde Baked Salmon with Green Beans, Grape Tomatoes and Jasmine Rice

Next week - Low Country Bake

Everyone loves the Low Country Boil.  If eating your dinner off of newspaper is your thing, we can surely hook you up with all the necessary ingredients, minus the newspaper, to make your own mess. 

But if you really just love the food and the flavors of a Low Country, buy our Catch to Go oven ready meal.  You just pop it in the oven and voila!  When meal is complete, serve in container with a side of newspaper to read.  A no mess coastal experience!

Cool Catches This Weekend
Red snapper - whole and fillet
Corvina
Black drum
Monkfish
Red grouper
Walleye
Golden tile
Large stone crab

Souper Seafood Stew

Mariners' Pepper Pot with Orzo

adapted from Simply Seafood magazine

Serves 6

1 medium leek, white part only
2 T olive oil, divided
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 T minced fresh garlic
2 orange or green bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2" dice
1 can (15 oz.) crushed tomatoes with juice
1 cup orzo
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 t salt
1-1/2 cups clam juice or fish stock
1-1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces swordfish, cut into 3/4" cubes
1/2 lb. cleaned squid tubes, cut into 1/4" rings
1/2 lb. black mussels
18 littleneck clams
Parmesan cheese

Clean and thinly slice leeks crosswise.  In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat.  Add leak, onion and garlic and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add peppers and tomatoes and stir until peppers are tender and mixture is thick, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a 4 quart saucepan, heat remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat.  Add orzo and pepper flakes.  Saute' until orzo is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.  Stir in 2 cups of boiling water.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until orzo is tender and slightly soupy, about 15 minutes. 

To orzo, add salt, clam juice (or fish stock), wine, parsley and pepper and bring to a boil.  Gently stir in tomato mixture, swordfish, squid, mussels and clams.  Simmer until fish is barely opaque and mussels and clams have opened, about 3 minutes.  Do not overcook as the fish will continue to cook as the soup stands. 

Remove and discard any clams and mussels that did not open. 

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired, before serving.

Wine News At Milton
Wine tasting today from 3:00 to 6:00 at our Milton location.  Stop by and have a taste of some very special wines.

And Finally
My memory of Valentine's Day when I was a kid is decorating a box and bringing a little Valentine card to each person in the class (even the boys!!) .  It was sweet and simple.  As an adult I tend to totally over-complicate things by making it one of the biggest sales days of the year for our stores, which is a good thing.  But overcomplicating things at home isn't such a great idea.  This year I didn't buy a card.  Instead, I picked one out while we were grocery shopping and forced Mr. Fish to memorize it so that he would remember it on Thursday.  Putting it back on the card rack saved me $7.00. 

Mr. Fish caught the cheapster bug and made me a Valentine on his computer and emailed it to me.  Bam.  Another $7.00 to go towards wine.

Although I was too cheap to buy a card, I did come up with a gift for my Valentine.  I promised to be a better listener.  The truth is I am a terrible conversationalist.  As soon as someone starts to talk to me,  I begin formulating my response and once I know what I am going to reply, I zone out until it is my turn to talk.  My Valentine's gift to my husband is to take myself and my responses out of the conversation and truly listen. 

If I can develop this habit, I might just give the same gift to you.

Now what was it you were saying?

Blessings,
Kathleen

Valentine's, Perfect Pesce Portions, Triggerfish

Hey Y'all,

I think the whole city of Atlanta should take a long nap after that Super Bowl!  We made a grand impression on the world thanks to the hard work of a lot of people.  And how about that Atlanta Chief of Police?  I heard Chief Erika Shields on a number of radio interviews and couldn't help but think that, boy, she's got her act together.  I hope she planned a nice long vacation for this post -SuperBowl week.

Fin Mai
Kathleen's Catch is truly a gem in Johns Creek. I have been coming since they opened and have never been disappointed.  I recently spent time in Maine eating lots of lobster and paying anywhere from $19.95 - $25.00 for lobster rolls. Kathleen's is a bargain.

Thanks, Deborah, for mentioning the price of lobster rolls.  People get on Yelp and other places and complain about their size.  Frankly, I couldn't eat more than one if I tried, but for people with large appetities, buying 2 gets you just about in the ball park of our competitors' pricing for one.  They really are a deal!

Irene Jurnac gave us a nice, short review on Google:

Best fresh fish and seafood ever.

Well.  Enough said.

Catch Customers Can Cook
I  ran into Emily Brehmer at the Johns Creek store the other day and reminded her to send me her dinner photos.

Grilled tuna over sautéed spinach and spaghetti squash with baby bell peppers in a balsamic reduction ,  Kathleen's fresh fish is the star!  (Aww shucks)

If you think that tuna looks pretty tasty, get a look at this salmon!  Emily says it's a Whole 30 recipe and is served with roasted tomatoes and fennel, blistered green beans and spaghetti squash.

Reason Number 4 to Shop at Kathleen's Catch

Our portions are the perfect piece of fish.   We provide fresh fish from our seafood cases to you in three forms.  You can buy a fillet that is sold by the lb.  You can buy whole fish that are sold by the lb.  Or you can buy portions of fish that are sold by the piece.  I like to think of these as portional pesce perfection.

These portions cost more than buying fish by the lb. because as the picture says, there is no skin, no bones, no waste.  There's nothing to throw away.   We make it easy for you!

Valentine's Day
It's coming up next week so it's time to put your thinking caps on.  You need to come up with the reservations at a crowded restaurant.  No problem! Well, except that you waited too long and the only available times are at 10:45.  Hmmm.  Since Valentine's Day is on a Thursday, the two of you are going to be verrry sleepy on Friday morning. And that Valentine's meal is going to set you back the whole month's budget for dinner out.  And you already arranged for that sitter, didn't you?

Hey - we've got your back.  Forget the crowded restaurants and overpriced meals.  Celebrate the love of your life at home, in your slippers.   Since Valentine's Day is on Thursday this year, you need to have a meal that comes together quickly after work, but is still so special that you and your "someone" will be talking about it for days.  We got this.  First thing to do is click here:

https://www.kathleenscatch.com/valentine-dinner-special

As you can see, it's a meal for two.  Just go down the list and pick out your favorite appetizer, entree and dessert.  Send in the form and we will call you to answer any questions, finalize your order and collect the payment.  On Thursday, you just drop by and pick it up.  Make sure you get this order in by Monday.  We need a few days to get it all together so we have to cut off orders at the end of business on Monday. 

Now you need some wine.  Susan Metz, owner of both the Milton and Johns Creek Wine and Crystal, did the picking out for you.

For the appetizer course, 

Marigny-Neuf Sauvignon Blanc $15.99

The color is crystal clear and there are traces of mint. Piercingly fruity with notes of genêt and ivy. Sharp but rich.  That is to say, despite being beautifully dressed, it has a bit of bite. A very aromatic finish is a definite sign that this is a great Sauvignon (and one of Susan's favorites).

For the entree

Bethel Heights Estate Pinot Noir - $30.99

Silky and vibrant, with spirited raspberry and violet aromas that open to effortlessly complex flavors of black cherry, black tea, cardamom and other dark spices.

For the dessert

Koda Wine - $16.99

Premium dessert wine meets decadent natural chocolate flavors. A delightful finish to a perfect meal. Is it the end or just the beginning?

Wait, what?  You can't drink three bottles of wine on a Thursday night?  Then this is the one that covers all the courses:

Jacquart Champagne Brut - $29.99

This champagne is satin pale yellow with golden nuances and jade highlights. Fine bubbles herald a fresh and fairly rich Champagne. Flowery scents of honeyed, honeysuckle petals, fruit aromas of crushed pear, candied lemon and peach, and soft, creamy notes with biscuit and fresh bread crust unfurl on first pour. Fleshy, fruit-driven weight develops on the palate which is forthright, ethereal and generous.

Milton Wine and Crystal  is located inside the Milton Kathleen's Catch .  Johns Creek  Wine and Crystal is next door to the Johns Creek Kathleen's Catch.

Catch to Go
Through Sunday:

Horseradish Crusted Mahi with Spinach, Mushrooms and Jasmine Rice

And next week starting Monday:

Salsa Verde Salmon with Green Beans and Jasmine Rice

What's Cool this Weekend

Have you tried trigger yet?  It is one of my favorite fish, but I thought I would dig into my gigantic collection of seafood cookbooks and get some other opinions.

In the Appendix of Cooking Fish and Shellfish by Ruth Spear (1980) I found this:

"Varieties include the queen trigger and the ocean tally, sometimes called Turbot.  Hard to clean, leathery skin."

What?  That's it?

Even in my more recent cookbooks, all I could find was in Barton Seaver's Two if By Sea (2016) which says:  this dense fish is a textual cross between snapper and grouper with meaty fillets, a mild sweetness and a briny finish.  broil, fry, grill, saute, smoke, stew

Am I the only one that adores this fish?

Finally, in James Patterson's Fish and Shellfish (1996) I found what I was looking for, a true description of trigger.

"If you are lucky enough to spot one  of these at the market - and you'll run into one only if you live along the Eastern Seaboard or in the Caribbean - snatch it up right away.  Triggerfish have delicious firm flesh that takes well to almost any cooking method.  They are peculiar-looking with long hairlike rays sticking out of the tail and the rear dorsal fin.  The name triggerfish refers to an unusual interlocking dorsal fin that has to be "unlocked" by releasing a trigger-shaped spine.  Most triggerfish are slightly longer than a foot and weigh about 2 pounds.  They have very strong scales and tough skin, so I usually just fillet them and remove the skin from the fillets.  The flesh is very firm and lean and can be used in soups and stews, panfried or braised."

This says it all.  If you see it, snatch it up. 

Also, black bass from North Carolina, tile from Florida, fluke flounder from North Carolina and all the other great fish we carry - swordfish, tuna, mahi, Atlantic salmon, Chilean sea bass, steelhead trout.  The list goes on and on ...

And Finally
Just this:

Blessings,
Kathleen

Super Bowl, Black Bass and More About My Dog

Hey Y'all,

What a week!  We got a snow day with no snow.  And beautiful weather for the weekend.  And a huge "Commercial Watching" party to look forward to on Sunday!  Our cup is overflowing!!

Fin Mail
There are a surprising number of people who read my blog and don't regularly shop at my store.  If you are one of these people, pay attention!  These quotes about how good we are are included just for YOU!

From Julie Sanders on Google:
Bought a pound of mussels YESTERDAY. Ended up cooking them today due to time restraints and thought I may have screwed up on freshness. Well, they were awesome! Every single one opened in the broth and were scrumptious! Never disappointed with Kathleen's fresh fish and shellfish. So fortunate to have this amazing provider.

Great staff, too. Always friendly and helpful. Good suggestions for how to cook their different items. BTW, also purchased some fresh green beans that tasted like they were hours from the farm! So yummy.

Catch Customers Can Cook!
Here's how Leslie prepared her red snapper last week:

Purchased red snapper filet on Tuesday. Have to tell you how delicious it was! I merely seasoned with lemon pepper and a few other herbs. Baked. Served with a sautéed cherry tomato/caper/ lemon sauce. It was perfect. Will be back soon to try covina or hake.

Ellen's been sending me more pictures! Here's the latest. It's monkfish!

I promise I won’t continually bombard you with dinner pics but the monk fish was another great success. Plated with asparagus risotto.  We prepped the monk fish with lemon juice, sea salt and cracked pepper and pan seared it. It was great with the risotto.  I’m excited for the next new fish to try!

John Steele sent this hint over after hearing about our Dungeness crab last week.

A sauce for the Dungeness:   in a mayo jar add equal parts ketchup and mayo, two good shakes of soy sauce, two long squirts of lemon juice, three teaspoons of horseradish and a little bit of wine vinegar. Shake till all is blended. Any left overs make a good salad dressing.

And to drive his point home, he mixed up some of our fresh Dungeness crab in this sauce and brought it to Sara to taste. (She was bragging about it all weekend.)

Why shop with Kathleen's Catch? Reason Number 3
We take care of the ocean!  That's why you will find a healthy mix of fish farmed at the best aquaculture facilities in the world and wild caught fish from the most sustainable populations in the ocean.  You can feel good about what you buy from us because you know we are paying attention.   Here's a bit from our mission statement:  "We remain committed to careful stewardship of the world's oceans and are dedicated to the preservation of marine resources in the interest of providing a healthy protein source for future generations."  Simply said,  we worry about your health, your grandchildren's health and the health of the planet.

Superbowl is Here!
We have plenty of options for you to enjoy in between the commercials. 

Lobster tails - all sizes from 4 oz. to 12 oz.

 Stone Crab! - simply crack 'em and eat 'em

We have the sauce too!

All kinds of raw oysters and a plate to serve them on

Party Trays - aka How To Impress Your Guests

King Crab Legs for the King aka How to Impress Your Husband

Caviar - aka How to Impress Your Tastebuds

This is Iranian Caviar which is in short supply so call in a hurry if you want some.  All caviars including this one must be ordered today for your dining pleasure this weekend.  

Valentine's Day

I know it's all about football this weekend but just in case you are planning ahead, here's our Valentine's Day offering.

https://www.kathleenscatch.com/valentine-dinner-special

More about this next week!

Catch Employees Can Cook!
 Mia Kosko is a multi-talented individual.  Two weeks ago I showed you her paintings.  This week you get a recipe.  She wrote this using black bass but any mild white fish or even salmon will do.

Black Bass the Way Mia Does It

1 lb. black bass
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 Tbs fresh ginger
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp maple syrup (or honey/brown sugar)
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp cumin
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Corn starch
Rice
Steamed veggies

Heat 1 Tbs oil in a non stick-pan over medium heat. Place the fish skin side up and cook until you get a nice crisp on it. Flip the fish and turn heat to low. Mix all the other ingredients and pour it over the fish. Place a lid over the fish and allow the mixture to simmer for 3 minutes. If the mixture is too watery, make a cornstarch slurry and the mixture should thicken within a minute. Remove from heat and serve over rice with steamed veggies.

Catch to Go
This week is Roasted Cod with Succotash

Starting Monday it is Horseradish Crusted Mahi (my personal favorite) with spinach and mushrooms

What's Cool in the Stores This Weekend?
Trigger from North Carolina
Black Bass (see recipe above)
Permit from Florida
Red Grouper from Madeira Beach (especially beautiful and extra nice)
B-liner snapper from Florida

Lots of USA fish!!

And Finally
When the alarm clock goes off in the morning, my dog wags his tail.

I just realized this week that he does this and it really touched me.  What a wonderful thing to greet the day with your tail wagging, to greet the day with the expectation that great things await you!  Refuse to begin with negativity.  Let your wagging tail swipe away anxiety and depression and start the day the way the dog does.  Be thrilled to see whoever is in front of you.  Try not to drool but eat your breakfast with enthusiasm! Schedule in a walk and a nap if you can. Give yourself a treat.  And a scratch behind the ears.

Blessings,
Kathleen