Lake Whitefish

Trap net caught. Lake Erie, Canada side

Our "local" selection for this week is tender whitefish, which thrives in the cold, deep waters of the Great Lakes. Whitefish is a reliable all-around fish. It is flavorful, thick, rich, and versatile. You can use it in just about any recipe that calls for a white fish. Even the simplest of preparations, a quick sauté with lemon and butter, will satisfy completely.

If you are looking for something special and different during Hanukkah, try the Horseradish-Crusted Whitefish recipe below. Seafood Watch rates it a "Good Alternative." Low mercury. Kosher.
1 lb. for $13.75

-- Horseradish-Crusted Whitefish with Remoulade (The Bitten Word / Gourmet)
-- Whitefish Baked with Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers (Jamie Oliver / Serious Eats)

Cobia

Deep ocean aquaculture. Panama

Cobia (sometimes called lemonfish) is one of our favorite fishes. We have been reluctant to offer cobia because the farms had not met particular aquaculture standards. Open Blue, our source, has earned GlobalGAP aquaculture certification and Best Aquaculture Practices. And now Seafood Watch has given cobia a “Good Alternative” rating. We'd like to support Open Blue's efforts. 

Cobia's meat is firm with a large flake and mild flavor. It is raised in deepwater net pens located far offshore and is fed an all-natural hormone-, colorant-, and pesticide-free diet. A versatile fish, cobia can be cooked in many different ways: baked, grilled, and sear-roasted. Low mercury. Kosher. 
1 lb for $22.50

-- Sear-Roasted Cobia (Lemonfish)(HOF)
-- Cobia (Lemonfish) with Walnut Purée and Asparagus (Barton Seaver / For Cod And Country)

Frozen Fair Trade Shrimp

Supera net caught, Mexico

Finally a shrimp you can feel good about eating! We just might have been the first in Chicago to feature certified Fair Trade shrimp, and we are pleased to report that they are delicious! We are going against our standard here by offering a frozen product. Here's why: Instead of dealing with giant gas-powered trawlers to catch their shrimp Del Pacifico works with artisanal fishermen in Mexico who use small sail-powered boats called pandas, which are slightly larger than a rowboat and have a spectacular sail. (Score one.)

The wind and tide guide the net. Because they operate on such a small scale the fishermen can remove bycatch and return it to the water alive resulting in the lowest bycatch in the shrimping industry! (Score two.) 

Because the boats are small and have little storage area they can't be out at sea for long periods meaning that the shrimp are blast-frozen within hours of capture. What is more, Fair Trade certification guarantees that there are no human rights abuses and that a percentage of the profit is returned to the community that caught the shrimp. (Score three and four.) 

Keep in mind that these shrimp are peeled and deveined FROZEN shrimp. US Fair Trade certified.
1 lb. (about 26 to 30 per pound) for $16.00)

-- Provençal Wheat Berry Salad with Shrimp and Mustard-Caper Vinaigrette ( Susie Middleton / Fine Cooking)

-- Cuttlefish Spaccatelli with Shrimp, Fresh Tomatoes, Green Onions and Chili (Food 52)