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5 Fast and Easy Seafood Meals to Make This Week

Nancy Einhart — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:10:00 PST

Looking for a fast and easy weeknight dinner - or perhaps five? Easy doesn't have to mean dull, so try one of these five simple and simply delicious seafood dishes perfect any night of the week.

Get to Know Gefilte Fish

Susannah Chen — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:15:00 PDT

Despite my love of Jewish food, I must confess I've never held a deep understanding of gefilte fish. Growing up, I'd stare at jars of those cloudy, floating Manischewitz members with a mixture of intrigue and disgust. What, exactly, was gefilte fish? I wondered. Did people actually eat that?

Now that I have the palate of an adult, I'm no longer disgusted, but as someone who's never tried gefilte fish, I remain intrigued. Gefilte is actually Yiddish for "stuffed," and this dish is really just white fish that's been chopped, seasoned with carrots, onions, and eggs, stuffed back into the skin of a fish, poached, then served chilled. Find out the story behind its creation when you read more.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Fish With Peach Salsa

Susannah Chen — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:21:03 PDT

As much as I love Fall produce, it doesn't always get the warm welcome from me that it deserves - probably because I'm always loath to let go of Summer's fruits and vegetables and the warm weather that they signify. So while pumpkins and peppers are slowly starting to pop up at markets, I can't help but still buy sweet corn and stone fruits, while I still can and before they're gone for another year entirely.

This week was all about peaches - floral, fuzzy yellow ones that I could smell from a mile away. I bought a huge load of ripe peaches, ate most of them out of hand, and saved a few to make peach salsa, one of my favorite toppings for any protein (seared tuna, swordfish, chicken, pork tenderloin, you name it). Right now, I'm loving it with flaky, meaty rockfish fillets. Check out the recipe after the break.

Top 10 Fish With Highest Sources of Omega-3s

Heather Dale — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:47:13 PDT

Vegans and vegetarians don't eat it. And pescatarians - who abstain from eating red meat and animal flesh - make the exception to eat it. All in all, it's hard to deny the health benefits associated with fish. Many types of fish are low in fat, high in essential heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, an excellent source of protein, and packed with vitamins and minerals. It's safe to eat fish twice a week (up to 12 ounces), but it's best to choose different types of fish so you get a variety of nutrients.

As great as fish is, it's also good to know which types of fish to consume, as nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. Expecting moms should stick to fish with mercury levels of one part per million (ppm) or lower. The rest of us can safely consume fish with mercury levels that average 5.5 ppm.

Here's a full rundown of the top 10 fish with the highest omega-3 fatty acids, the highest mercury content, and those that are on the Seafood Watch for best options for sustainability and unsustainable options that are best avoided.

Keep reading to view the top 10 fish chart!

10 Shore-Food Specialties to Enjoy Now

Susannah Chen — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:06:33 PDT

Weekends at the boardwalk, beach bonfires, and oyster picnics are a few of the reasons why I live for beach season. I'd give my right arm to spend every sunny afternoon at a place like Sam's Chowder House, but on the days when adirondacks in the sand aren't an option, I'll turn to my kitchen to whip up a few shore-food specialties. Keep reading for seafood-shack-style recipes.

Lox and Smoked Salmon: Not Exactly the Same Thing

Susannah Chen — Thu, 19 May 2011 11:14:01 PDT

Though the terms "smoked salmon" and "lox" are used interchangeably, they're in fact, not quite the same thing. Real lox (also called belly lox) refers to the midsection of a salmon that's simply been cured in a salt brine; consequently, it possesses a saltier flavor than what many of us associate with smoked salmon.

Part of the confusion arises from the use of the term "Nova lox" or "Nova salmon," which originally referred to the lightly cured and cold-smoked salmon that hailed from Nova Scotia.

Today, smoked salmon is often prepared using wild and farm-raised salmon from both the Atlantic as well as the Pacific - and modern-day usage of the term has further blurred the distinction between lox, Nova lox, and smoked salmon. Did you know the distinction between the two?

Source: Flickr User jeredb

Do You Buy Frozen Fish?

Susannah Chen — Thu, 12 May 2011 04:56:17 PDT

The economic recession has changed America's consumer behavior not only in the realm of dining out, but also when it comes to cooking and eating at home. One way to cut costs would be to purchase packs of frozen fish, rather than splurging on those pricier, ready-to-cook fillets available at your seafood counter. Discerning pescaphiles will throw up their hands in opposition ("I never buy frozen fish!" Katie exclaimed), but it's one way to enjoy seafood on a shoestring. When, if ever, do you buy frozen fish?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Pescado Veracruzano

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 05 May 2011 04:31:09 PDT

If you're in the mood for Mexican, but don't want to go the taco-enchilada route, I have the perfect dish for you: fish Veracruzano. It's a fragrant recipe from Katie Lee that was inspired by a meal she had in Veracruz, Mexico. The fish is cooked in a lip-smacking good sauce that's full of onions, jalapeños, and tomatoes. Green olives and capers give the sauce an irresistible salty and briny quality. The ingredient list calls for red snapper, but since it's on the avoid list in terms of sustainability, I opted for another white flaky fish. For a complete meal, serve with Spanish rice and a cold beer! Get the scrumptious recipe now.

Roast Salmon Is Easy, Yet Elegant

Katie Sweeney — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 05:16:49 PDT

Roast chicken and potatoes is one of my go-to meals for quick entertaining. All you have to do is season with herbs and olive oil and toss the two ingredients in the oven. However, when I'm in the mood for something a little more special than chicken, I change it up and use delicate, flaky salmon fillets.

The key is to cook each of the elements (potatoes, asparagus, salmon) for different amounts of time. Start with the potatoes, then add the asparagus, and finally the salmon. It's not as simple as a chicken, but it's a delicious and sophisticated meal that's perfect for a celebratory occasion like Easter. Keep reading for the uncomplicated and rewarding recipe.

Take a Trip to Spain With Scallop Paella

Lauren Hendrickson — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:51:47 PDT

I love paella but always thought it was a complicated dish to make at home. Recently a friend gave me a paella pan to prove how uncomplicated it is to put together. After my first attempt, I stand corrected: this dish is simple and can be easily made in a large saute pan. Once most of the ingredients are prepped, the scallop paella takes about an hour from start to finish.

The recipe calls for sea scallops, but a cheaper protein like shrimp or mussels would be just as tasty. The paella is perfect, with the essential crunchy crust along the bottom and moist almost-creamy rice on top. I fretted about overcooking the scallops, since they are such a delicate protein, but they were moist and full of flavor, thanks to the green chiles and roasted bell peppers.

If you want to celebrate Spring with a Spanish feast, keep reading for the succulent recipe.