By GAIL BLAKELY
Visitors to Cape Cod are often surprised to discover that the Cape is as close to being an island surrounded by salt water as it could possibly be, without being one. Prior to 1914, we were directly attached to the rest of Massachusetts. Then the Canal was finished, forming an inner water-way from points south to the New England coast.
Thus we have over 586 miles of coastline where we catch the many different types of fish for which Cape Cod is famous. In addition, tidal rivers and harbors provide shallow waters where clams, oysters, scallops and mussels can be harvested. Visiting a fish market can be a daunting experience: the array of different seafood is not always well explained. The best way to choose your seafood is to talk to the fishmonger—they know best.
Like the farmers who sell their produce at open-air farmers markets, they are proud to be able to tell you how to prepare your chosen fish. Because seafood is fragile, it should be displayed over ice, and you may request ice to pack it in for your ride home. It shouldn’t be refrigerated for longer than two days; if you are not preparing it within that time frame, wrap it well and freeze it.
Once you have your fish in your kitchen and you are ready to cook, you can choose from six different ways to prepare it: baking, broiling, frying, sauteing, poaching, steaming, and microwaving. Some of our fish markets have compiled small cookbooks to assist you in your preparation; others may offer printed recipes. Nowadays, of course, there is the internet to consult. However, those personal recipes from the fishmonger are often among the best you can find.
When you choose to buy sustainable seafood, you push suppliers to source more environmentally responsible products, driving significant improvements throughout the industry. Ultimately, your choices have an impact on the health of the ocean. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch publishes national consumer guides that are updated every six months. Many of the fish we enjoy are in trouble due to destructive fishing and farming practices.
Their website, SeafoodWatch.org, is designed to help consumers make a difference for our ocean by making responsible choices. These recommendations are useful for both dining out and shopping. Asking “do you sell sustainable seafood?” is one way to let restaurants and fishmongers know that this is important to you.
We really can make a difference for our oceans by choosing alternatives or “eco-certified options” if you cannot find a best choice. They also indicate what’s a good alternative, and even better, what to avoid.
Best choice means “buy first”—these are well managed and caught or farmed responsibly. You should also purchase from the “good alternatives” list, but be aware that there are concerns with how they are caught, farmed, or managed. On the “avoid” list are those species that are overfished, lack strong management, or are caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment.
When dining out, there are countless choices for preparing seafood. Here are a few recipes for some of the more popular dishes you may encounter on a menu, and perhaps choose to make at home. Enjoy our local bounty, but remember to shop responsibly!
POKE TUNA
(adapted from The Great
American Seafood Cookbook)
8 oz top quality bluefin or yellowfin tuna, cut into one-half-inch cubes
2-inch piece of cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into quarter inch cubes
3 scallions, trimmed and cut into thin rounds
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ to ½ tsp dried hot pepper flakes
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 cups baby spinach leaves
2 medium radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Place the tuna in a medium bowl and add the cucumber and scallions and mix gently; sprinkle with garlic and hot pepper flakes, then add the sesame oil and soy sauce. Mix gently but thoroughly; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Just before serving, cut the spinach into fine shreds and arrange on a serving plate; mix the radishes into the poke tuna and mound the salad on top of the spinach. Garnish with the sesame seeds and serve at once.
KNOCKOUT NACHOS: BLACK BEAN NACHOS WITH LOBSTER SALSA
(adapted from A New
England Fish Tale)
For the salsa:
2 chopped scallions
1 cup seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or basil
One half lb cooked lobster meat, chopped
1 avocado, diced
One quarter tsp minced jalapeno pepper
For the bean paste:
1 cup cooked and drained black beans
1 tbsp sour cream
For serving:
24 large white corn tortilla chips
One half lb cheddar cheese, grated
Make the salsa by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl; toss to combine, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Make the bean paste by placing the beans and sour cream in a food processor and pureeing until smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. To assemble the nachos, preheat the broiler and place the corn chips on a large baking sheet; spread about a teaspoon of bean paste on each chip, then sprinkle with a little grated cheese on top. Broil for one minute, or until the cheese is melted. Transfer to a serving platter and top each nacho with a generous teaspoon of lobster salsa; serve immediately.
LINGUICA, LITTLENECK CLAM, AND MUSSEL SOUP
(adapted from A New
England Fish Tale)
1 tbsp each: butter and olive oil
1½ cups diced potatoes
½ cup chopped onion
¼ lb linguica, split lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ tsp each: chopped fresh thyme and marjoram
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup red wine
3 cups fish stock
16 live littleneck clams, scrubbed clean
20 live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
In a heavy soup pot, heat the butter and oil; when the butter is melted, add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Add the onion and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, then add the linguica, garlic, and red pepper. Cook until the pepper is tender; add the herbs, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by nearly half. Add the fish stock and bring to a boil; add the clams, cover, and lower the heat. Cook for seven minutes, add the mussels, cover again, and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until they open. Discard any clams or mussels that do not open; serve immediately (using tongs, place a few clams and mussels in each soup bowl and ladle the soup on top) with crusty Portuguese bread.
SMOKED BLUEFISH PATE
(adapted from The Boston Globe)
½ lb skinless, boneless, smoke bluefish
6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Pick through the bluefish, flaking it with your fingers, and discarding any bones; place in a food processor and pulse a few times to break it up. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth; taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more lemon and Worcestershire if needed, and some freshly ground black pepper to taste. Pack into a serving bowl and smooth the top; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, and up to 2 days to allow the flavors to blend. To serve, let the pate stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, then serve with crackers or hearty black bread.
PJ’S FISH CHOWDER
(adapted from The Cape Cod Table)
5 tbsp butter
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced into half inch pieces
One and a half cups water or fish stock
1 to 1½ lbs boned fish fillet, such as cod, striped bass, halibut, hake, cusk, flounder or other white fish, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 cups light cream or evaporated milk
1 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Paprika and white pepper
Melt 4 tbsp butter in a 3-quart saucepan over moderate heat; add the onions and sauté until golden, but not brown. Lay the diced potatoes over the onions and add water or fish stock just to cover; lay the fish atop the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook just until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. The fish will be cooked at this point as well; use a fork to stir the soup and flake the fish. Add the cream and stir gently to blend; season to taste with salt and white pepper, add the thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer. Turn off the heat and let the soup stand for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors blend. Top with the remaining butter and sprinkle each serving with some paprika on top.
BAKED STRIPED BASS
(adapted from the Cape Cod Wampanoag Cookbook)
1 striped bass fillet, about 7 lbs
One half cup white wine
1 bunch scallions, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced into half inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 400F; cut the fish into equal portions and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with the wine, and sprinkle with scallions and tomatoes. Bake until fork tender, about 12 to 15 minutes; serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley.
SCALLOP
PUFFS QUE SARA
(adapted from The Nantucket Open House Cookbook)
Note: this recipe makes 6 dozen puffs, but they don’t need to be made all at once; the scallop mixture keeps for a week in the refrigerator, so you can make them for spur of the moment entertaining. You can also use sea scallops, cut into quarter inch pieces. This mixture can also be spread on toasted English muffins, broiled, then cut into bite-sized pieces
1½ tbsp butter
½ lb bay scallops, quartered
1 tsp finely minced lemon zest
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
1 cup grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese
1 generous cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
6 dozen 1-inch bread rounds, lightly toasted
Paprika, lemon slices and dill sprigs for garnish
Melt the butter in a sauté pan or skillet over medium high heat; add the scallops, lemon zest and garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, until the scallops are barely cooked, about 2 minutes. Add the dill and cook another half minute, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the cheese, mayonnaise, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; mix well and place in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours, up to one week. To serve, preheat the broiler and place the toast rounds on baking sheets. Top each round with heaping teaspoon of the scallop mixture and sprinkle lightly with paprika; broil the rounds 5 inches from the heat, until puffed and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the puffs to serving platters and garnish with lemon slices and dill sprigs; serve hot. Makes 6 dozen puffs.
CUTTYHUNK
SWORDFISH STEAKS
(adapted from The Cape Cod Cookbook)
2 lbs swordfish steaks, cut about 1-inch thick
½ cup butter
1½ tbsp flour
Three quarters cup each: white wine and whipping cream
1 tbsp lemon juice
Sugar and hot sauce
1 cup seeded, halved white grapes
Small bunch whole white seedless grapes
Fresh watercress
In a large skillet, melt a quarter cup of the butter and sauté the swordfish steaks on both sides; season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork but is still moist. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and hot sauce to taste; stir in the wine and cream and cook over low heat until smooth and thickened. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice and a pinch of sugar, just to taste. Add the halved grapes and serve the sauce over the cooked fish, garnished with whole grapes and sprigs of watercress.