week's catch
This
Rushing Waters Rainbow Trout
Pond and raceway aquaculture, Wisconsin
This week's LOCAL choice is Rushing Waters trout. They grow up in super-cold waters near the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin and are raised in a sustainable chemical-free environment.
Expect a firm texture and a mild flavor. The fish comes butterflied and ready to cook. Seafood Watch rates it a "Best Choice." Low mercury level. Kosher.
1 lb. for $16.00
-- Baked Rainbow Trout with Shiitake Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Ginger (Bon Appétit)
-- Pan-Seared Trout with Serrano Ham and Chile-Garlic Oil (adapted from Bon Appétit)
Barramundi
Net pens, Vietnam
Barramundi, reportedly a name given to the fish by indigenous Australians, means large-scaled silver fish. It is also called Passion Fish. In an Australian Aborigine Dreamtime legend, part creation story, the barramundi transforms itself into the moon.
Barramundi is comparable to wild sea bass. It is recommended for its sweet, buttery flavor and is packed with omega-3 fatty acids. This barramundi is farmed in Vietnam under strict conditions. Believe it or not, because of its low environmental impact—low use of chemicals, effluents monitoring, and transparency—Seafood Watch rates this Vietnamese-farmed barramundi a "Best Choice." Low mercury. Kosher.
1 lb. for $21.50
-- Mediterranean Barramundi Quinoa Bowls (Coley Cooks) includes video
-- Baked Barramundi Marsala with Mushrooms (the Cookin' Canuck)
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)